Aking the right questions (the pareto Principal)

[kamakiri]

This article came across my blog roll this morning and it was good enough to pass on. The main point is that people are not asking the right questions when applying the Pareto Principal (the 80/20 rule). I completely agree with it.

I see more and more people coming to the 4HWW forum asking the same questions over and over again, but heading in the wrong direction. The 4HWW lifestyle is not based on the "Gospel according to Tim". It is based on asking the right questions and applying your energy to the answers. In fact, even the wrong answers will get you further along in most cases. A line from an old Journey song comes to mind: "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." (The choice here being staying with the status quo).

Here is just a short section form the original post.


What’s the least amount of this that makes the most difference?
How much of the time I spend doing this activity is creating the bulk of the outcome?
Which few of all the thoughts I have are on my mind most of the time?
How much of the food on this plate would satisfy my hunger?
Which of these activities would have the most leverage?And the entire post is here:Looking for the Critical Portion
(http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/06/30/looking-for-the-critical-portion/?&owa_from=feed&owa_sid=)

[TimW]

A line from an old Journey song comes to mind: "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

That was Rush. How you could confuse Geddy Lee with Steve Perry is beyond me...you must have had a traumatic, and confusing, time in high school. :D

[SelfDefenseSource]

Great post! Working without the proper questions asked is like driving your car through a downpour without windshield wipers!

One thing that kind of slapped me in the face was the quote "the thing you fear doing most is the thing you most need to do!"

Not to make corrections here, but the song you're referring to is "Free Will" by Rush. Great song too... the lyrics TOTALLY apply!

[Marcie]

One thing that kind of slapped me in the face was the quote "the thing you fear doing most is the thing you most need to do!"

That one slapped me in the face too! Thanks for the reminder :)

[TimW]

That one slapped me in the face too! Thanks for the reminder :)

I thought everyone knew this. I just choose not to do the things I fear the most.

[kamakiri]

That was Rush. How you could confuse Geddy Lee with Steve Perry is beyond me...you must have had a traumatic, and confusing, time in high school. :D

Gah! I knew that. I had Journey on the brain when I wrote that post, and yes HS was traumatic and confusing for me. (You had some sort of different time there Tim?) Either way the miss was unacceptable in the year of our google 2008.

For the youngins: Here is is (http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=MYzGMxGq9rM).

[TimW]

Gah! I knew that. I had Journey on the brain when I wrote that post, and yes HS was traumatic and confusing for me. (You had some sort of different time there Tim?)

Hahah...my comment was trying to woo young maidens using Rush when you wanted to play "Open Arms". :D

[kamakiri]

Hahah...my comment was trying to woo young maidens using Rush when you wanted to play "Open Arms". :D

I used Zepplin 4 for that. Didn't everyone?

[TimW]

....And five, now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV. - Mike Damone

:D