Why better beats more

St John Craner

Most people always want things fast and cheap. Who doesn’t?

Problem is, what’s cheap and fast usually isn’t any good — like fast food, also known as junk food.

It will plug a gap for a while but then you have to do it all over again (never mind the weight gain, obesity and health issues bit . . .)

Or like when you buy a cheap tool or piece of machinery. It’s much more likely to break down, not do the job is was supposed to, or not last as long. Then you end up spending more money by replacing something inferior that you thought was superior in the first place.

I’ve done this countless times with things and should have shelled out a bit more to get the thing that would last longer (I’m a slow learner!)

Rather than buying lots of things, you need to buy fewer, better things.

Same with life and the 80/20 Principle.

Alfredo Pareto was an Italian physicist in the 1800s who spotted that 80 percent of the land was owned by 20 percent of the population.

Nowadays it’s called the Pareto Principle and this “power law” presents itself all over the place:

•     NZTA stats show 20 percent of our roads create 80 percent of the crashes

•     20 percent of your workers or clients cause you 80 percent of your headaches

•     20 percent of film studio movies make them 80 percent of their money

•     20 percent of your possessions represent 80 percent of value you get out of them

•     20 percent of your friends are responsible for 80 percent of your happiness

•     20 percent of hazards represent 80 percent of all injuries

•     20 percent of songs on albums make 80 percent of the money

•     20 percent of words represent 80 percent of the language.

I had a mentor once tell me this: “St John, you need to focus on the priority of the important, not the tyranny of the urgent. One screams, the other whispers. Listen to the latter not the former.”

Better still, he told me what makes you money today is urgent and what makes you money tomorrow is important.

Wise words indeed.

We all have so much on our plates these days and it’s hard to keep them all spinning.

Rather than doing more, we need to be doing better.

What could you focus on that brings you the most return on your time?

What expense could you focus on that would create the most savings?

What one farm-factor could you focus on that would drive the greatest value?

What off-farm activity could you commit to that brings you the most joy?

What could you do as a family ritual that makes the kids’ day?

What are the non-negotiables you are going to be non-negotiable about?

Small things can make big differences —much like how small hinges can swing big doors.

Focusing on the wrong things is wrong. It drains you of the precious energy you need for you and your family. That energy leakage isn’t going to help anyone.

Less is always more, and more is less. Doing better things makes for a better life.

Say “no” to unnecessary commitments. Create boundaries that you respect so others do the same. Create space and time for you. You could even create “us time” (family), “we time” (partner) and “me time” (you). Create a break in your calendar for all three.

Not everything in life is an emergency. Sometimes you have to delete, defer or delegate instead of do.

As NFL quarterback Tom Brady said:

“Inherently we’re taught that hard work is going to get you everywhere you want to go. I can work out once a day, so if I work out twice a day I’ll be better, right? My view of that is if you’re working harder at the wrong things, you’re getting better at getting worse.”

Of course, these changes and breaking long-formed habits can take a bit of time.

But your diary is your most important tool and if what you said you were going to do isn’t in there, it doesn’t exist.

These new habits will take a bit time. The research says about three weeks.

Doing more and more only gets you to burn-out, so start small with one or two things to focus on. Maybe it’s drinking more water, getting more exercise or going to bed earlier.

Focus on doing less better than more.

Common sense really.

But as they say, common sense isn’t that common sometimes.

And one last piece of advice from me the advice monster! Focus on the vital few, not the trivial many. You and the others around you will be glad you did.

- St John Craner is owner and founder of rural marketing and sales training company www.agrarian.co.nz
021 515 650