The 80/20 Rule: Do Less, But Better
“80% of results come from 20% of effort. Find the 20.”
The Problem
Solo founders wear every hat — builder, marketer, writer, support.
It feels like progress should come from doing more.
But more effort doesn’t equal more results.
In fact, most of it doesn’t move the needle at all.
What Is the 80/20 Rule?
Also known as the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 Rule states:
80% of your outcomes come from 20% of your actions.
Not everything you do matters equally.
Some tasks are leverage. Others are noise.
Your job: find the signal and double down.
Why It Matters for Solo Founders
You don’t have endless capacity.
You can’t afford to spend 10 hours chasing 10% improvements.
The 80/20 Rule helps you:
- Prioritize what actually drives progress
- Cut busywork that feels productive but isn’t
- Create momentum by doing less, better
This isn’t laziness — it’s precision.
Example: Marketing Your Product
You’re promoting a new digital product.
You’ve tried:
- Posting on X
- Writing blog posts
- Recording Loom demos
- Cold DMing on LinkedIn
- Setting up a newsletter
Then you look at your numbers.
80% of traffic is coming from one X thread.
But you’re still spending hours on other channels.
The 80/20 move:
Double down on X. Refine the thread. Add a clear CTA.
Deprioritize the rest — at least for now.
Ask Yourself
- What’s actually working?
- Where am I spending time with little return?
- If I could only do 3 things this week, what would they be?
Bonus Prompt
Open your task list.
Next to each item, ask:
“Is this part of the 20% that drives 80% of progress?”
Then delete, delegate, or defer the rest.
Final Thought
You don’t need more time. You need fewer distractions.
The 20% is where momentum lives.