The 90/10 The 90/10 PrinciplePrincipleDr. Stephen R. Covey

or at least,or at least,

the way you react the way you react to situationsto situations

It will change your lifeIt will change your life

  The good news is we can always control the 90% if The good news is we can always control the 90% if we choose to do so! We are in complete control of we choose to do so! We are in complete control of

the 90%the 90%

In other words, 10% of what ‘happens’ In other words, 10% of what ‘happens’ to us we can’t control.to us we can’t control.

A lot of what happens to us in life, we have no A lot of what happens to us in life, we have no control over. In fact philanthropists call this control over. In fact philanthropists call this

the 90/10principle. the 90/10principle.

by by choosing to respond to life’s events choosing to respond to life’s events rather than react to them immediately.rather than react to them immediately.

The 90/10 principle states that 10% of anyperson’s life is made up

of what happens to that person.

However the rest90% is decided by how that person

reacts to that situation. 

You are having breakfast You are having breakfast with your family. with your family.

Your daughter knocks over Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. your business shirt.

You have no control over You have no control over what has just happened.what has just happened.

What happens next will be What happens next will be determined by how you react.determined by how you react.

You harshly scold your daughter You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. for knocking the cup over.

You find your daughter has been too You find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get busy crying to finish breakfast and get

ready for school. ready for school.

She misses the bus. You rush to the car and She misses the bus. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. drive your daughter to school.

Your daughter runs into the building Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. without saying goodbye.

After a 15-minute delay and throwing After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60.00 traffic fine away, you arrive at $60.00 traffic fine away, you arrive at

your office. your office.

After arriving at the office late, After arriving at the office late, you find you forgot you find you forgot

your briefcase. your briefcase.

Your day has started Your day has started terribly.terribly.

As it continues, it seems to get worse As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to and worse. You look forward to

coming home.coming home.

When you arrive home, you find When you arrive home, you find a small wedge in your relationship a small wedge in your relationship

with your wife and daughter. with your wife and daughter.

Why? Why?

Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did

you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it?A) Did the coffee cause it?

B) Did your daughter cause it?B) Did your daughter cause it?

C) Did the policeman cause it?C) Did the policeman cause it?

D) Did you cause it?D) Did you cause it?

The answer is “D”The answer is “D”

You had no You had no control over what control over what

happened with happened with the coffee. the coffee.

How you reacted inHow you reacted inthose 5 seconds is what those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.caused your bad day.

Here is what could have Here is what could have and should have happened.and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you.Coffee splashes over you.Your daughter is about to cry. Your daughter is about to cry.

You gently say : You gently say : ““It’s okay, honey, you It’s okay, honey, you just need to be more just need to be more careful next time.”careful next time.”

Grabbing a towel Grabbing a towel you go upstairs and you go upstairs and change your shirt. change your shirt.

You grab your briefcase, andYou grab your briefcase, andyou come back down in time to look you come back down in time to look

through the window and see your child through the window and see your child getting on the bus.getting on the bus.

She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early a cheerfully greet the staff.

Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios. Two different scenarios. Both started the same.Both started the same.Both ended different.Both ended different.

Why? Why?

Because of how Because of how you reacted. You you reacted. You

really have no really have no control over 10% of control over 10% of

what happens in what happens in your life.your life.

The other 90% The other 90% was determined was determined by your reaction!!!by your reaction!!!

If someone says something If someone says something negative about you, do not be negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off a sponge. Let the attack roll off

like water on glass. like water on glass.

You do not have to let You do not have to let the negative comments affect the negative comments affect

you. you.

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

stressed out. stressed out.

We can be the most polite, We can be the most polite, well-mannered person in town, well-mannered person in town,

but that won’t necessarily stop some but that won’t necessarily stop some bozo being rude to us.bozo being rude to us.

Instead of fighting back the bozo, you Instead of fighting back the bozo, you choose to feel good choose to feel good

& smile back at him!!!& smile back at him!!!

We can be the best employee in the world, We can be the best employee in the world,

but that cannot prevent but that cannot prevent the company we work for the company we work for going into liquidation and going into liquidation and throwing us out of work.throwing us out of work.

Instead of blaming about the company, Instead of blaming about the company,

You choose to feel good You choose to feel good & find the new job!!! & find the new job!!!

We cannot stop We cannot stop

the car from the car from breaking down. breaking down.

Instead of kicking your car, Instead of kicking your car,

You choose to feel good & and find You choose to feel good & and find the car service company!!!the car service company!!!

The plane will be The plane will be late arriving, which late arriving, which throws our whole throws our whole

schedule off.schedule off.

The plane is late. It is going to mangle The plane is late. It is going to mangle your schedule for the day. your schedule for the day.

Why take out your frustration Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant? on the flight attendant?

She has no control over She has no control over what is going on. what is going on.

You choose to feel good You choose to feel good

and use your time to study, get to and use your time to study, get to know the other passenger, know the other passenger,

why stress out? It will just why stress out? It will just make things worse.make things worse.

Now you know the 90/10 Principle.

You will lose nothing if you try it.

Apply it and you will be amazed at the results.

The result? You will The result? You will see it by yourself!see it by yourself!

The 90/10 Principle is incredible. Very The 90/10 Principle is incredible. Very few know and few know and

apply this Principle.apply this Principle.

Millions of people are sufferingMillions of people are sufferingfrom undeserved stress, trials,from undeserved stress, trials,

problems and headaches. problems and headaches.

We all must understand and apply We all must understand and apply the 90/10 Principle. the 90/10 Principle.

It can change your life!It can change your life!

It only takes willpower to It only takes willpower to give ourselves permission give ourselves permission to make the experience.to make the experience.

Absolutely everything we do, give, say, or Absolutely everything we do, give, say, or even think, it’s like a Boomerang. even think, it’s like a Boomerang.

It will come back to us. It will come back to us.

Maybe we will end Maybe we will end with our hands empty, with our hands empty, but our heart will be but our heart will be

filled with love...filled with love...

If we want to receive, If we want to receive, we need to learn we need to learn

to give first... to give first...

And those who love life, have that And those who love life, have that feeling marked in their hearts…feeling marked in their hearts…

Thank You Very MuchThank You Very MuchSompong YusoontornSompong Yusoontorn