The 80/20 Principle

My thoughts are…

It all goes back to the story of the 10 spies who went to check out the land God had promised the children of Israel thousands of years ago.

It was a good land – filled with homes, green grass, fruit trees and abundance! The grape clumps were so big it took two men carrying them on a pole to bring back as proof of the lushness of their new promised land!

BUT!  80% (8 out of the 10) said, “Yes, it’s nice, but the people there are big and strong and we cannot overcome them. It’s too scary!” the other 2 – the remaining 20% said, “We are well able. Let’s go in at once and take what was promised us!”

So according to the polls, 80% said ‘nay’ and 20% said ‘yay’. The ‘nays’ won out and it was 40 more years in the desert marching around needlessly.

I don’t want to be part of the negative 80% going backwards in fear, obtaining nothing. I want to be part of the 20% out there doing and helping, progressing and moving things forward! We all need a hand up and I hope to be one of those hands – not pushing people backwards, but pulling people forwards.

Fortunately, the choice is up to us, and we can re-choose at any time. Let’s not allow ourselves to be pulled back by the doubting 80%, but be part of the 20% filled with hope, encouragement, inspiration and good will.

Incidentally, the small 20% of the children of Israel did finally make it into the promised land. They had to wait 40 years while the other 80% finished their lives in the desert, but the 20% never gave up and they got the promise. They inherited the land!

Let’s not wait 40 years to begin to see and create and do good, helpful things to make life better for everyone.

What is one tiny area I can begin to move forward today?