Friday, March 21, 2008

90/10 Principle

Human behavior is a grey area where no one could derive a definative answer as to why different people react a certant way in a same given situation. There may be some logical explaination as to why a person react in such a way but no one could actually give a 100% assumption that that person would always react the same way as always. Because human mind and behavior changes all the time. We can only derive whether the behavior is negative or postitive. Through my observations, I can see many of us always react in a negative way during difficult situation. Perhaps it's easier to give in to anger and negative emotions. But we always fail to notice that our negative behavior will in turn create more unnecessary problem after that. And that is partly because we likes to blame others for what had happen although it was not entirely their fault. It was only recently that I read an article forwarded by a friend about the "90/10 Principle" and it has opened up my perspective on how to make the best out of a difficult situation. The way we react to any situation is the main thing that changes everything. Read on......

Discover the 90/10 Principle.
It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations).

What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.

What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic.

We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.

How? ……….By your reaction.

You cannot control a red light. But you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.

Let's use an example.

You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee
onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.

What happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse.

You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.

Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.

After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.

When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.

Why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?

The answer is “D".

You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5
seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.

Why?

Because of how you REACTED.

You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!

React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off) Do you
curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?

WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive?

Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.

You are told you lost your job.

Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.

The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take outpour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.

Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse.

Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.

The result?

Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.

It CAN change your life!!!

Have a nice day!

4 comments:

sting said...

that's quite a motivational post :-)

Dina said...

Nice blog you have here. I was following Osindak's behind:~))(jangan marah ah Osindak) and found your blog! That is a nice article. I try to be positive all the time. However, when the chemical thingy that affects my mood kicks on, I can't help it. I started out gloomy this morning but I started thinking I should not be complaining on Easter weekend and try to be cheerful.

Anonymous said...

Yes, read that before but it's a good reminder to read it again. By the way, I have set up a new poems blog to transfer all my poems from a website to this new blog. Mind exchanging links with this new blog of mine?

Amidrin said...

sting: Yes, indeed!

dina: Thanks. You're welcome to visit anytime. I'm quite a moody person too. It's hard to control even though we don't mean to be negative all the time isn't it? Let's hope God's love will surpass our own negativities.

tot's mom: I've always love reading your poems. Added your new poem blog link to mine. :-)