Download - Stephen Covey's 90/10 Principle
90 PRINCIPLE
10
STEPHEN COVEY’S
WHAT IS THE
90/10
PRINCIPLE
10% of life is made up of what happens to you
90% of life is determined by your reaction to what has
happened to you
10% of life is made up of what happens to you
IN SIMPLER WORDS
You have no control over incidents that take place in life
The plane will
arrive late,
throwing your
schedule off
You have no control over incidents that take place in life
The plane will
arrive late,
throwing your
schedule off
You can not stop
a driver from
cutting you off in
traffic
You have no control over incidents that take place in life
You can not
stop the car
from breaking
down
The plane will
arrive late,
throwing your
schedule off
You can not stop
a driver from
cutting you off in
traffic
But you have control over your reaction to
these incidents
You have no control over incidents that take place in life
LET US USE AN EXAMPLE
You are having breakfast with your family
Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee on to your
business shirt
You are having breakfast with your family
Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee on to your
business shirt
10%
What happens next is determined by
how you react.
You CURSE You SCOLD your daughter for knocking the cup over
Your daughter BREAKS DOWN in tears
You CRITICIZE your spouse for keeping the cup too close to
the edge of the table
You STORM upstairs and change your shirt
Your daughter has been too busy CRYING to finish breakfast and get ready for
school and misses the bus Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You RUSH to the
car and drive your daughter to school
A short VERBAL BATTLE follows
After a 15 minute DELAY and a $60 TRAFFIC FINE you arrive at school
Your daughter runs inside the building
WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE
Arriving 20 minutes LATE at work, you realize you FORGOT your briefcase at home
AND THE DAY KEEPS GETTING WORSE.
You look forward
to going home…
You look forward
to going home…
Only to find a small in your
relationship with your spouse and daughter
WHY DID YOU HAVE A BAD DAY?
Was it the coffee?
Was it your daughter?
Was it the policeman?
Was it you?
WHY DID YOU HAVE A BAD DAY?
Was it the coffee?
Was it your daughter?
Was it the policeman?
Was it you?
IT WAS YOU.
You had
no control over the coffee
BUT
Your
reaction in those 5 seconds is
what caused your bad day
THEREFORE
Coffee = 10%
Rest of the day = 90%
Here’s what
&
happened
could have should have
Coffee spills on you. Your daughter is about to cry.
You gently say, “It’s okay honey, you just need to be
more careful next time”. Grabbing a towel you rush
upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your
briefcase, you come back down in time to see your
child get on the bus. She turns and waves. You
arrive 5 minutes early to work and cheerfully greet
the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day
you are having.
NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE?
2 different scenarios
Both started the same
But ended different
2 different scenarios
Both started the same
But ended different
BECAUSE OF HOW YOU
REACTED
REACT PROPERLY
AND IT WILL NOT
RUIN YOUR DAY
Being fired
A wrong reaction could result in
Being fired
A wrong reaction could result in
and more.
Don’t be a
SPONGE to negative criticism.
Don’t be a
SPONGE to negative criticism.
Let the attack roll off like water on a glass.
WHO CARES if you’re 10 seconds
late to work?
DON’T let the cars ruin
your drive!
DON’T LET
PEOPLE FOOL
YOU YOU
CONTROL HOW
YOU REACT
THIS IS THE
90/10
PRINCIPLE
TRY IT.
TRY IT.
YOU HAVE
NOTHING TO LOSE.
Asma Ansari
Twitter: @asmaansari7