The Modern Sage

  Hello everyone! Recently, I came across something that made me rethink a lot of my habits and routines. At one point my morning routine took 2 hours and I was looking to cut down on time while maintaining the same amount of effectiveness. And that's when I ran into the 80/20 rule. Have you ever wondered how a tiny fraction of efforts can lead to great results? Well, that's what we're looking at today through the lens of the 80/20 rule also known as the Pareto Principle.  The 80-20 Rule & Its Origin (Vilfredo Pareto): Vilfredo Pareto, was an Italian economist with a knack for unraveling the mysteries of wealth distribution.  Back in the day, Pareto stumbled upon a jaw-dropping realization that 80% of Italy's wealth was controlled by a mere 20% of its population!  He soon recognized a pattern emerging—a relationship where a small fraction of causes produced a lion's share of effects. And thus, the legendary 80-20 rule, named after its insightful creator, was bor...

April 18, 2023 If you are interested in living an extraordinary life, you've probably heard of mindfulness as a way to add a little more peace, focus, and presence to your day to day life.  Like me, you might have heard the word and agreed with the idea, but (ironically enough) either never had the time to really look into it, or thought that you were already a pretty mindful person. Well, whether you've managed the time or are looking to simply enhance your mindfulness, this post is for you. What Exactly is Mindfulness? So, what exactly is mindfulness, you might ask?  It's a state of being fully present and engaged in the moment, without judgment or distraction.  Mindfulness is all about tuning in to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in a non-judgmental way and with an open mind. Nowadays, mindfulness gets overused as a trendy buzzword, but its roots actually go back thousands of years to ancient Eastern practices like Buddhism and Taoism.  This concept was ...

August 9, 2022 This idea of success has been playing a major role in my life and my decisions since and after college. And “success” is a very abstract thing that is hard for people to articulate. But at the same time, it’s something we’re all chasing, isn’t it? Why?  You heard me right. I’m asking you to stop, pause, and ask the question “why are you chasing after success?” Why are you chasing success? For some, that will be an epiphany and a mind blowing thought in and of itself. However, it’s not exactly what I’m trying to get at. The better question you need to ask after that is “why are you chasing that success?” Why are you chasing that success? I’ll define what I mean by “that success” a little later. First let’s detour to a little story. A few days ago, this rather mundane incident occurred which got me thinking. I was in the kitchen, after dinner and everyone was talking and this person we know came up in conversation. And I said something along the lines of “well, they’re...

 July 30, 2022 Do you ever find time getting away from you? You look at the clock and wonder where the day went because somehow nothing got done! There are a million different methods and ideas on how to become more efficient, accomplish more, get more done in a day, but for this post, I’m focusing on probably the most common method: a to-do list. What is a To-Do List? It is exactly what it sounds like. A to-do list is a list of things that you need to get done. Usually, they’re made for a specific period of time. For example, you can make up a morning to-do list, or an afternoon to-do list, a daily one, or even weekly if that works better for you. How to Make a To-Do List I think more people don’t use to-do lists because they think that making one takes time. They don’t know what to write down. They find using a to-do list is too confining and “cramps” their style. Yes and no. Like most things, when it comes to to-do lists, you have to find what works for you. If you try to create...