Review: Living the 80/20 Way by Richard Koch

Living the 80/20 Way: Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More by Richard Koch was published in 2005 following the success of The 80/20 Principle in 1999. The 80/20 principle is based on an economic theory by Vilfredo Pareto which states, essentially that 20 per cent of action (stuff) produces 80 per cent of results. The flip side is that 80 per cent of what we work on or do doesn't result in much. However, this is a serious simplification and Koch helps readers understand how to use this rule to improve their lives in his more simple follow-up.

In Living the 80/20 way, Koch helps us "cut the fat" and define the efforts that are yielding the results so we can focus our energies there. This takes continual reexamination of you, your relationships (to people, to work), your life. Some of the questions to ask are "what am I passionate about and, of those things, what comes easiest to me?", "who do I want to be?", "what things am I doing that I struggle with or don't bring me joy?".

Koch rightfully insists that you cannot just think about your 80/20 plan, you must continually review and revise it, carry it with you, asking continually "Can I find easier, more pleasant, richer ways to achieve my goals?". Once you start identifying some of these things, the author encourages you to slow down and enjoy your "happiness islands", those areas that you really enjoy, and to start expanding them so you are spending more and more time on them.

Twenty Amazon.com reviewers give the book 4+ out of 5. Reviews include "the material in this book can be much more valuable than an MBA", "practical and easy to implement", "finally a book that offers solutions that are achievable and take pressure off."

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