The 80/20 Rule: How to Win at Fitness and Copywriting

Ever noticed how you can bust your ass on ten different things, but only one or two of them actually move the needle? That's the 80/20 rule in action – and it might just be what you've been looking for.

What's This Rule All About?

The 80/20 rule (some people call it the Pareto Principle) basically explains how 80% of what you get comes from 20% of what you do. An economist named Pareto (hence the name) noticed this pattern a long time ago.

Turns out, it pops up pretty much everywhere and anywhere.

80/20 in Fitness: Cut the Fluff

Let's get real – you don't need to jump on every fitness bandwagon or live at the gym. In my fitness journey, I realized:

• A handful of exercises give you most of your results (think squats, deadlifts, and presses)

• A few nutrition habits make the biggest difference (protein, not eating too much, and whole foods)

• A couple of recovery basics keep you going (decent sleep and drinking enough water)

This means you can ditch those marathon gym sessions and crazy diet plans. Just zero in on the stuff that actually works. 

A solid 45-minute workout, three times a week will crush hours of random exercises without any structure any day of the week.

80/20 in Copywriting: Words That Actually Get Read

This works for writing too:

• A few headline options will get most of your clicks

• A couple of your main points will grab most of the attention

• One or two calls-to-action will drive most of your sales

I see people do this all the time – they spend forever tweaking paragraphs nobody reads while their headline stops readers from even clicking the post.

 Your headline and first paragraph need the most love because if they bomb, nobody's sticking around for the rest.

How to Put the 80/20 Rule to Work Today

• Figure out what few things actually get you results

• Stop wasting time on the stuff that doesn't matter

• Double down on what's working

Look, it's not about grinding harder – it's about putting your energy where it counts. Work smarter, not harder, right?

Next time you're planning a workout or writing something, just ask yourself: "What few things will give me most of my results?" Answer that honestly, and you'll save a ton of time while actually getting somewhere.

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." — David Brinkley