Apr 29, 2025

 by Mike Bevard

Life has a sneaky rule that’s always at work—whether you realize it or not.

It’s called the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule. It means that 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. And once you start looking for it, you’ll see it everywhere:

• You wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time.

• 80% of your screen time comes from 20% of your apps.

• You spend 80% of your time with 20% of the people in your life.

• 20% of musicians produce 80% of the songs you hear.

But what does this have to do with your health? Everything.

If the majority of your results come from a small portion of your actions, the key is to focus on the stuff that actually moves the needle—and ditch what doesn’t.

For nutrition: Stick to whole, real foods 80% of the time. That gives you room to enjoy the occasional treat without guilt or setbacks.

For workouts: You don’t need endless hours or fancy routines. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses—they deliver the most strength and mobility for your time.

For recovery: You don’t need a wellness checklist a mile long. Prioritize sleep, daily movement, and a few minutes of deep breathing to stay energized, focused, and resilient.

Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? Take a moment and ask:

• What’s the 20% that really drives my progress?

• What’s just noise, draining my energy without real impact?

When you shift your focus to what matters most, you’ll reduce stress, save time, and get way better results—with way less effort.