ii. The Art of Becoming Aware
This week, as I took on the 80/20 challenge, I decided to keep listening to the audiobook (The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch) to stay motivated and engaged. I was also struggling a bit with translating theory into practice, and I hoped that listening would help clear the way. Two ideas from the book stood out to me: “Find your niche” and “the 80/20 practitioner needs to be aware…” (paraphrased).
Finding a niche has always been a “problem” for me. I don’t want to narrow myself down. I get bored easily; I’m curious and intense in the things I pursue. Trying to pick one niche hasn’t worked for me, and I started to wonder if, to apply the 80/20 rule, I’d need to go against that part of myself. Then I came across a post from @multiclaudia, who shared that when she stopped trying to find a niche and instead focused on finding a message—a life philosophy—things started to come together in her career.
This inspired me to shift my focus. I asked myself, What are the things I want more of? It’s not about doing more but about identifying key decisions in each area of my life that could create meaningful progress. For me, this week, that looked like:
Making important decisions about planning my wedding,
Setting healthy boundaries with family (in ways I’d likely been avoiding for years),
Committing to short, last-minute projects and following them through, and
Writing this entry for my blog.
When I did my weekly check-in, I realized I’d made progress in every single area I wanted to improve. Some steps were small, others came with big challenges I wasn’t eager to face, but I know it’s the only way forward. I’m taking small, deliberate steps in the directions I want, advancing multiple areas of my life in ways that feel meaningful. I’d say we’re off to an interesting start, and I’m excited to see where this challenge will take me.
If you’re looking to achieve more in your life with less effort, follow along for the ride. Let's explore what this 80/20 challenge can do, together.
“This image was generated using AI to capture a whimsical, cozy vibe that complements the themes of this post. While it’s not hand-created, it reflects the introspective and playful spirit behind ‘The Art of Becoming.’”