The 30% rule requires commitment and discipline, but the results are worth it. You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve with this simple strategy from Steve Jobs at Apple.
Steve Jobs was a business genius, a mentor, and even knew how best to respond to an insult. But he was also an expert in running a business and the products people needed to meet their needs.
When Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, the company found itself in a difficult position as it struggled to compete with Microsoft and other companies seeking to gain a foothold in the technology world. But the situation was so precarious that the product range was too extensive and fragmented.
The company that he founded with Steve Wozniak in the garage was on the verge of collapse because those responsible had lost focus on what was important and were suffering from serious disorientation.
Jobs knew well that the Apple brand had to focus on what it did best, and that meant reducing products from the catalog and focusing on the most innovative devices, as well as creating new needs for people in the technological world. However, achieving this required an effective method, which is why Steve adopted the 30 percent formula..
Steve Jobs’ 30% rule
It was then that Steve Jobs used the so-called 30 percent rule, which involves a thorough review of Apple’s product line.. About 30% of these devices were exceptional, which represented the quality and innovation of the brand.
However, the remaining 70% were products that were not really necessary or did not meet the brand’s quality standards.
“We looked at the future product roadmap… And we found that 30% of it was incredibly good. And about 70% of them were pretty good or things we didn’t really need to do. Companies where “We “I didn’t really have to be there. So we reduced that a lot so we could add a few new things.”
The deciding factor was the decision to drastically reduce the number of products Apple was working on. This approach allowed the company to focus its resources on the best of the best, ensuring that every device released was of the highest quality.
Here’s how you can apply the 30% rule to your professional life
To apply the 30% rule to your personal and professional life, you need to follow a few steps and ask yourself questions to achieve your goals. This way you should think about what is most important to you. What are your goals? Which tasks and projects have the greatest impact on your life?
So set your priorities Don’t try to do everything at once so you can focus on the tasks that really matter.. Be disciplined as it is easy to get carried away by distractions. So resist the temptation to do things that aren’t absolutely necessary.
If you’re working on a large project, break it down into smaller tasks and then prioritize the most valuable ones. This means you need to focus on activities that make the most of your abilities and are truly meaningful to you.
Just as Steve Jobs made difficult decisions when reducing Apple’s product lineup, You may have to make challenging decisions in your professional life. This could include canceling projects that aren’t working or stopping attending events that don’t benefit you.
