90-10 Principle

I recently received an email from a friend regarding this. Hope you find it as powerful as I have!

Stephen Covey’s 90/10 Principle

10% of life is made up of what happens to you.
90% of life is decided by how you react.

Here's an example . . .

You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee
onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened. But, what happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse.

You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears.
After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt.

Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.
Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.

After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school.
Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20
minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible.
As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is “D”.

You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, “Its ok 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 look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios. Both started the same - - but ended differently.

Why? Because of YOUR CHOICE of how to react. You really can't control the 10% of what happens to you, but the other 90% is determined by your reaction.

Think about these situations:

Someone says something negative about you. You can choose to be a sponge, take it in, stew about it, allow it into every pore of your body; or you can let the attack roll off like water on glass. You CHOOSE how the negative comment affects you!

A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out, etc. React properly and it will not ruin your day.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?

WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the other driver ruin your commute? Remember the 90/10 principle, and let it go. Do something productive with your thoughts and time. It takes practice, but it can be done!

You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Pour your worrying energy and time into finding another job.

The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out?
It will NOT improve the situation, but it might make it worse!

Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results.
You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90-10 principle is incredible. TRY IT!!
It CAN change your life!!!