Pareto Principle

In 1906, an Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto was studying the unequal distribution of income in Italy, and observed that 20 percent of the people owned 80 percent of the wealth. He then created a mathematical formula to describe this phenomenon. In the late 1940s, Dr. Joseph Juran, a quality management pioneer, applied this 80/20 rule in his field, and called it the Pareto Principle.

Since then, the Pareto Principle has been shown to exist in many different areas, and have been applied to many different contexts.

The Pareto Principle is an observation (not a rule) that things in life are often not evenly distributed. 80/20 is just a rough guide of the distribution. For example, 20% of the inputs creates 80% of the result, or 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

There are 2 most common misconceptions in the numbers 80/20. Firstly, the percentage 80 and 20 are not a fixed, given percentage, but more of a rough estimate. Secondly, both percentages might not necessarily add up to 100. For example, 20% of workers might be doing 80% of the work, but it might also be 20% of the workers doing 100% of the work. The 80/20 ratio is just to highlight the principle of the vital few; that a minority contributes or attributes to a majority.

Here are some examples where the Pareto Principle can be observed:

-          91.8% of the world’s population holds 17.7% of the world’s total wealth (according to 2012 statistics)

-          Criminology studies have found that 80% of crimes are committed by 20% of criminals

-          80% of sales are found to come from 20% of customers

Using this observation, we can be more efficient and effective in our daily life. Again I would like to emphasize that this is not a law of nature, but merely an observation based on recurring patterns. The numbers 80 and 20 are also not a given but an estimation. 80% is used to represent the major portion and 20% the minor portion.

-           Relationships: We spend roughly 80% of our time with 20% of our friends. Also 80% of our enjoyment and happiness hinges on 20% of the people we know (family or close friends). Knowing this might prevent us from neglecting the people closest to us just because we made new friends. Also it is impossible to maintain huge numbers of relationships, and we should not focus on quantity but quality.

-          Possessions: We each possess many material things (assuming we are from a developed country). However the things that is essential to us only accounts for about 20% of all our possessions. The rest are just clutter and take up space. This can also be applied when we pack our luggage for travelling. We generally tend to over-pack and end up only using a small portion of the things we bring.

-          Time management: A small number of things we do can help us achieve a large portion of our goals. By estimating the “value” or necessity of each item in our to-do-list, we can prioritize the tasks that contribute most to making the day productive. This helps us better organize our time, and allowing us to better achieve our goals.

-          Learning: Learning something new takes a lot of time and effort, especially the very first few steps. However, the Pareto Principle should help keep us motivated to overcome the initial difficulties at the beginning (the difficulties that causes us to lose heart and give up). In order to learn something new, 80% of mastery can be achieved in 20% of the time required. For example to learn enough of a new language to have a conversation (80%) would take about 20% of the effort/time while the remaining 80% effort/time will gain you the other 20% that makes you an expert and achieving full mastery.

-          Business: 80% of profits generally come from 20% of all sources. By finding out where the main source of revenue comes from, businesses can concentrate their attention on these areas (for example advertising to a specific audience) and not waste resources by adopting a broad-based strategy.

There are many other areas where, by applying the 80/20 observation, we can better figure out how to be more effective or efficient. This is not to say that the other 80% is not important. It is merely a tool to better prioritize what is most necessary, and to get that done first.

For example an artist takes 20% of the time to draw 80% of the picture (which would be lacking in details), but it is upon completion of the whole picture together with all the minute details that takes up most of the time that makes a masterpiece. The artist worked on the rough picture and outline first because it is of a higher priority, and with that done, the details can be added.

Similarly, our goals are not achieved with 80% of the results, but it is a good beginning along the route to success.

Goodbye

There is one case in life we rather not be happy but sad

We would be glad it all happened no matter how bad

Even though it maybe heart-wrenching and makes us want to cry

It is all worth it, this cruel irony called goodbye

The more difficult it is to leave, the more groans and moans

Merely shows how connected and close we have grown

We promise to continue to stay in touch and write

To talk every day and pray it will be alright

But soon every day becomes every week

And soon its once a month before we speak

Nobody’s to blame for this natural event

It’s bound to happen no matter our intent

As the months and years slowly past

Memories turn to dust

Things we did together that were once unforgettable

Gradually blurs, breaks down and starts to crumble

Try as I might to hold on to all of it forever

The destructive force of time is too much stronger

However I am  grateful for our time together

And I wish you all the best in your future endeavour

Know that you touched my whole being

And you made my life worth living

Even though the end was painful and vile
You made it all worthwhile

The Little Prince Part 2

Chapter 21

Actual text:

« Je cherche des amis. Qu’est-ce que signifie “apprivoiser” ? » Dit le petit prince. « C’est une chose trop oubliée, dit le renard. Ça signifie “créer des liens”…  »

Translation:

“I am looking for friends. What does that mean - tame?" "It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties."

Firstly, a short summary for those of you who have never read the book (you should, it's less than 100 pages).

As the prince cries after finding out that his rose is just one of thousands other roses, a fox appears. The little prince wants to play with the fox but the fox says first the prince has to tame him. When tamed, they will need each other, and become unique and special to each other. Through rites and rituals, the little prince finally tames the fox. However soon the time came for the prince to go and the fox says he will weep. When the prince explains that it’s the fox’s fault for insisting they become friends, the fox says that he knows and that it has all been worthwhile because he can now appreciate the wheat fields (the prince has golden hair like the wheat fields). At the garden, the prince realises that even though his rose is not a unique flower, she is unique to him because he has cared for her and loved her. The prince then said goodbye to the fox and the fox leaves him with a secret (quoted below).

“. . . One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. . . . It’s the time that you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important. . . . You become responsible for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose. . . .” – fox

In order to make this chapter seem clearer, I would first like to clarify the word “tame” used here. There are 2 French words for the word “tame”. One is “domestiquer”(to domesticate) and the other is “apprivoiser” In the little prince, “apprivoiser” is used instead. An example of the word “apprivoiser” would be like the following: “Il faut apprivoiser cet enfant” or in English: we must “tame” this child. “Tame” in this context is different from what we traditionally believe it to be. It is less of making someone subservient, and more about creating an emotional connection and establishing ties, more reciprocal without the idea of mastery and domination. With this in mind, the moral behind this chapter will make more sense.

 As we can see from the little prince’s time with the fox and time with his rose, to be “tamed” or to “tame”, requires some form of sacrifice. The little prince devoted his time through rites and rituals in order to “tame” the fox. As for his rose, he cared for her and loved her, again sacrificing time and effort. The lesson here is that for us to create a connection with another person or some object, we have to sacrifice some part of ourselves. It can be time, or love, or even money. But after we have given that something up, the person or object becomes more connected to us, and thus more valuable and precious to us. Also with this connection, it makes the person or object unique and special to us. 

“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose…”

With this relationship formed, there should naturally be a sense of responsibility created. We have a kind of power over the people we “tame”, and this gives us the ability to cause pain. The closer we are to the person, the more power we have over him or her, and the easier it is to hurt him/her with our words or actions, either on purpose or not. With great power comes great responsibility, and we should always remember this power to hold over somebody we love. The rose didn't know the power she held over the little prince, and hurt him unintentionally, causing him to leave his planet.

The fox also teaches that the essential things in life are invisible. He is speaking about love here, and that the little prince should look not with his eyes but with his heart. Love itself cannot be physically seen, but felt and experienced. For the little prince, his rose looks the same as all the other thousands of roses in the garden, but his rose is unique to him, because he feels the love he has for her. And it is this love that is the most important in life.

When the prince finally left the fox, the fox wept. There will be a time when we have to leave the person or the thing we treasure, that we have a connection to. That is the unavoidable fact of life. We feel sad because we are losing someone or something that possess a small part of ourselves. First we sacrifice something in order to establish the ties, and when we say goodbye, that little part of us is lost forever. Why would we want to make sacrifices in order to be hurt in the future? 

When we spend quality and meaningful time with a person we have establish a connection with, a person we love, we create strong memories. Looking back at these memories of the time together makes all the pain of saying goodbye worth it. The fox will be reminded of the little prince when he looks at the wheat field, and he will be happy thinking back on their time together. This scenario happens to every single one of us. When we establish a true and deep connection with somebody, we will be hurt when goodbyes have to be made. However this bond will remain with us for the rest of our lives, including the memories that we have. It is bond is love, the most essential thing in life. 

The chapter also reminds us to treasure what time we have with the people we love. This time will end someday, and there are no exceptions for anybody.

I feel that this chapter is the deepest and most meaningful one in the entire book. It says so much of love that we tend to forget or sweep aside. Below is one of my favourite quote.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A.Milne, Winne-the-Pooh

If we do not have a connection with somebody, saying goodbye will be painless and easy. But the "relationship" will be meaningless. When saying goodbye is difficult, you know you have something precious in your life.

The Little Prince

The little prince is one of my favourite books. It is written by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, a French author and first published in 1943. It is the most read and translated book in the French language and has been since translated to more than 250 languages and dialects in the world. Although it is a book for children age 9-12, the little prince introduces several profound ideas about life upon closer review. I have read this book countless times, and each time is a different experience. My takeaway from the first time is different than from the last. 

I would like to highlight a short chapter in the book that presents a concept that I feel most of us as adults have forgotten and should be reminded of. 

Chapter 22

Actual text:

«Ils ne poursuivent rien du tout» dit l’aiguilleur. «Ils dorment là-dedans, ou bien ils baillent. Les enfants seuls écrasent leur nez contre les vitres.» «Les enfants seuls savent ce qu’ils cherchent» fit le petit prince.

Translation:

“They are pursuing nothing at all,” said the switchman. “They are asleep in there, or if they are not asleep they are yawning. Only the children are flattening their noses against the windowpanes.” “Only the children know what they are looking for,” said the little prince.

For those who have never read the little prince, this part of the story happens when the little prince came to visit Earth, and met a railway switchman who changes trains from one track to another. He explains that the trains shuttle people from one location to another. The little prince asked why everybody seems to be in such a hurry, and if people were moving because they were unhappy. The switchman explains nobody knows why people are always in a hurry, and that it was like an exchange and it happens because people are always unhappy with wherever they are. The switchman also said that none of the passengers are pursuing anything at all, and they are all yawning or asleep on the trains. Only the children are looking intently out of the window. The little prince remarks that only the children know what they are looking for. 

When we are constantly in a rush, we lack the time to reflect and to find out where we are in life. Without the opportunity of a break, we cannot tell or decide if we are happy or not. Thus we might be mulling around in circles, not knowing which direction leads to happiness, making contradictory life decisions.

As we grow older, we naturally start to set concrete goals and objectives we want to achieve. They can be to buy a house by 28, to start a family by 30, to be a millionaire by 35. Goals and objectives are important to ensure that we work on the right track, to keep us focused. However very often we lose sight of the journey. It is through this journey that we evolve and change as a person. It is through this journey that we meet new people or strengthen old ties that help us reach our goals. If we are too caught up with just the goals and objectives, and neglect the journey, we will lose ourselves.

It is unrealistic to not have a destination. Life would have no purpose then. But we should retain a little of our childish innocence and pay more attention to the journey to our destination. The destination gives us a purpose in life and the journey provides meaning to our life. Both go hand in hand. The destinations or goals are specific points in our life and are kind of like road signs The actual journey or road is the journey of life itself. Never be too caught up with just the destination and miss the journey. After all, for everyone of us, the ultimate final destination can only be death.

“Life is a journey, not a destination” – Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Men and Women

What colour do you think the patch on the right is?

Most men would say either pink or orange or maybe pinkish orange. Women however would say it’s salmon colour (well a lot of them). If you are like me, you will think that salmon is the fish. But in fact it is also a shade of pink (probably called salmon because it is the same colour as the fish).

Do men and women see colours differently? Are there biological differences in how our eyes are formed, or how are brains are wired that causes the differences in how we see colours?

I think most people will agree that man and woman see colours differently. In fact not just colours, but other things as well (example: whether this shirt is crumpled or not). However it has been proven scientifically that there are absolutely no differences in the biological structure of our eyes, and how we attain vision (how our eyes are wired to the brain). Why then do women see salmon and I see pink?

Let me go some way back in time to provide a factual background understanding. In the 19^th century, scientists found out that native tribesmen have only words for black, white, red and maybe green. No matter where the tribes may be, North America, India, the Pacific, the results were similar. They would describe the colour of the sky as white or black (translated from their own language). It was first believed that these natives see the world differently, that their world was much less vibrant and less colourful that our world. The reason being that their ability in differentiating the colour spectrum was much less developed than ours due to their lack of practice (they have very limited artificial colouring like dye or paint). Therefore they couldn’t see certain colours in the extreme ranges thus the sky for them is black.

However in the early 20^th century, this theory was proven wrong. Through further testing, scientists found out that these natives have no problems differentiate colours. They could tell the difference between blue and black, even between navy blue and sky blue. Why then did they term the sky black? It was because they have no word for the colour blue. To them, blue was just a different shade of black. This might seem absurd to us; how could blue and black be the same colour, just different shades? We are taught to think this way because of our cultural conventions. For the natives, a whole chunk of the colour spectrum has just been lumped as one colour. They see no purpose in having to differentiate blue from black. 

Returning back to modern times, there are no biological differences in our eyes. The ability to differentiate colours is the same generally between both genders. Everybody, guy or girl, should be able to tell that the 2 colours below are different. However what differs is the vocabulary each individual possess to describe the each colour correctly. Guys would say both colours are just different shades of pink, while girls might be able to say one is carnation pink and the other is bubblegum pink. The differences in colour vocabulary reflect purely cultural developments, not biological ones.

Perhaps because women are brought up to appreciate colours more than guys (think clothes and flowers). Perhaps they are more exposed to the colour pink and its various shades. There can be many cultural reasons why they have a wider vocabulary for colours than men. Of course I am making a general statement. There are definitely exceptions. Some guys, perhaps a painter or a designer, can name every shade of every colour accurately. Some girls can’t even tell violet from blue. It depends largely on the individual’s cultural development. But generally, women  have a much wider vocabulary for colours.

So do men and women see colours differently? Well they do not see colours differently in the literal sense. In fact I think a better answer would be they “know” colours differently. Some men (most I would think) know salmon, carnation and bubblegum as pink, while some women know each individually. We see the exact same thing, can tell the differences as well as the other, but when presented with the colour alone, we have different terms for it. This concept can be used for other common contentious cases; like is the room messy? Or do I look fat? Perhaps this might help shed some light on some of the daily mysteries and help prevent some arguments along the way.