A favorite of productivity hackers, the Pareto Principle, aka the 80/20 rule, has taken on a life of its own since it was first observed by an Italian economist over a century ago. The concept states that a small number of causes generates a large number of outcomes. Today on the show, the origins of the Pareto Principle, why marketing and business-types love it, and whether it holds up under scrutiny. *For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org). Music by Drop Electric). Find us: TikTok), Instagram), Facebook), Newsletter). *Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)
