Episode Summary

We all know the 80/20 rule—a small percentage of your actions create most of your success. But have you ever stopped to ask: What if a small percentage of your actions are actually causing most of your stress, setbacks, and frustration?

In this episode, we explore the hidden cost of productivity—the 20% of your activities, habits, and relationships that might be holding you back. You’ll learn how to spot these high-cost negatives, eliminate them, and free up more time and energy for the things that actually move you forward.

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You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule—but what if 20% of your actions are sabotaging the other 80%? While we focus on maximizing positive results, we often ignore the hidden forces draining our energy, time, and motivation.

In this episode, I break down:

How a small number of decisions, habits, and relationships create outsized stress and setbacks.

The warning signs that an activity or person is part of your “negative 20%.”

How to cut the noise and take back control of your time, energy, and productivity.

If you’ve ever felt busy but stuck, this episode is for you.

Notes and References

Past Episodes Mentioned

Future Self Connection: Link to the referenced episode.

The Zero-Sum Game of Time – How to reclaim time for what truly matters.

Magic Mind Offer

My go-to productivity booster: magicmind.com/anthony40

Use code ANTHONY40 for 40% off your first subscription! (Limited to the first 10 orders.)Force Multipliers Episode

Reference to Lancaster's Law and exponential teamwork effects.

My Free Mini-Course: Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting

Free resource for listeners: https://anthony-sanni-company-international.thinkific.com/courses/goal-achievement-free-mini-course

Anthony’s Book: The Law of The Vital Few

The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

[00:27] The Two-Sided Nature of 80/20

[02:18] Are You Doing More of What Works—or More of What Hurts?

[06:21] The Productivity Drain You’re Overlooking

[12:06] The 20% of Your Life That’s Holding You Back

[18:09] The People Problem: Are Certain Relationships Costing You Too Much?

[20:44] How to Cut the 20% That’s Wasting Your Time & Energy

[24:07] The Secret to Doing More by Doing Less

In this episode of 8020 Productivity, we explore how strengthening the connection with your future self can transform your goal-setting and decision-making. we discuss cutting-edge research, practical strategies, and the ripple effects of embracing your future self in every area of life. From emotional conne

Episode Summary

Learn how to maximize your productivity by focusing on generative effort—the work that keeps paying off long after it's done. In this episode, I break down the differences between terminal and generative effort, share insights and offer actionable tips to help you build assets, streamline processes, and create a lasting legacy..

The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

[00:00] The Two Types of Effort That Define Productivity

A powerful framework to transform how you approach work and results.

[00:19] Generative Effort: The Work That Keeps on Giving

What makes some efforts continue to create value long after they’re done?

[04:34] Terminal Effort: Are You Stuck in a Productivity Trap?

The kind of work that ends as soon as it’s completed—and why it’s time to rethink it.

[06:38] Why Generative Effort Is a Gift to Your Future Self

How prioritizing the right kind of effort aligns with your long-term goals.

[07:59] What Are the 6 Categories of Generative Effort?

From building assets to creating a legacy, these categories will change how you allocate your energy.

[21:18] Is Your Effort Building or Burning Value?

Key questions to identify whether your tasks are setting you up for lasting success.

[24:20] How to Shift More Time Toward Generative Effort

Practical strategies to rebalance your day for compounding results.

[24:41] Final Thoughts: Are You Ready to Work Smarter?

A challenge to focus on work that pays off far beyond the present moment.

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Notes and References

Greg McKeown's Essentialism: Inspiration for the concept of generative vs. terminal effort.

Past Episodes Mentioned

Future Self Connection: Link to the referenced episode.

Force Multipliers Episode

Reference to Lancaster's Law and exponential teamwork effects.

Mini-Course: Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting

Free resource for listeners: https://anthony-sanni-company-international.thinkific.com/courses/goal-achievement-free-mini-course

Book Mention: The Law of The Vital Few

In this episode of 8020 Productivity, we explore how strengthening the connection with your future self can transform your goal-setting and decision-making. we discuss cutting-edge research, practical strategies, and the ripple effects of embracing your future self in every area of life. From emotional connection to actionable milestones, learn how to set yourself up for long-term success today.

The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

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Go to https://magicmind.com/anthonysannibf

[00:00] Why Most Goals Fail

[00:46] The Concept of Future Self

What is the future self, and why does it matter?

[02:38] Brain Science Behind Future Self Perception

Your brain treats your future self as a different person.

[05:03] Emotional Connection: The Secret Sauce

The power of emotional investment in goal pursuit.

Dr. Hal Hershfield’s insights on future self-continuity.

[08:34] Small Habits, Big Results

Practical tips: Packing your gym bag, meal prepping, and more.

[11:14] Bridging Temporal Distance

Why milestones matter: Breaking down big goals into achievable steps.

Construal Level Theory explained.

[17:17] The Power of Storytelling

How multi-sensory narratives bring your future self to life.

Writing letters from your future self to your current self.

[22:23] Bonus: The Ripple Effect

How connecting with your future self impacts health, finances, and relationships.

[26:13] Final Challenge: Start Small Today

What will you do today to serve your future self?

Notes and References

Dr. Hal Hershfield’s Research

Paper: Future Self-Continuity: How Conceptions of the Future Self Transform Intertemporal Choice.
Read the full paper here.

Neural Correlates of Future Self-Continuity

Paper: Saving for the Future Self: Neural Measures of Future Self-Continuity Predict Temporal Discounting.
View the study here.

Construal Level Theory

Developed by Nira Liberman and Yaacov Trope, this theory explores how psychological distance affects decision-making.
Learn more about it here.

Virtual Aging Software

Example: Apps that visualize age progression, like FaceApp or AgingBooth, can be helpful for visualizing your future self.

Magic Mind Offer

Link: https://magicmind.com/anthonyjan

Mini-Course: Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting

Free resource for listeners: https://anthony-sanni-company-international.thinkific.com/courses/goal-achievement-free-mini-course

Book Mention: The Law of The Vital Few

Procrastination isn’t just a thief of time—it’s a thief of life. In this episode, we dive deep into the Procrastination Cycle (Detect, Detest, and Dodge) and flip the script with the Doing Cycle (Accept, Adapt, and Advance). Drawing from practical strategies, cognitive techniques, and time-tested productivity tools, you’ll learn how to tackle procrastination head-on and finally get the important things done.

Whether you’re stuck on a report, a presentation, or even starting your fitness journey, this episode will guide you to move from procrastination to productivity.

The TVF Timestamps:

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] Procrastination: The thief of time and life.

[0:47] Introduction to the 3 Ds (Procrastination Cycle).

[1:41] Understanding discomfort as the foundation of procrastination.

[5:00] Detect, Detest, and Dodge: Breaking down procrastination.

[9:40] Switching gears: Introducing the Doing Cycle (3 As).

[12:14] Accepting discomfort with cognitive defusion.

[15:00] Adapting to discomfort with reframing and small steps.

[19:00] Advancing through discomfort using action-based tools.

[24:28] Practical time-based strategies

[26:00] Closing insights: Moving from knowledge to action.

Notes and References

https://anthonysanni.com/podcast/ep-023-using-the-procrastination-equation-to-find-and-fix-your-procrastination-how-to This is the episode on the procrastination equation and here is the other one: Ep-021: You Are NOT Lazy! 5 Unexpected Reasons You Procrastinate, and How to Stop

My blog on the Pomodoro Technique: https://anthonysanni.com/blog/how-a-tomato-changed-my-life

Procrastination: The Vicious Cycle of Procrastination. Centre for Clinical Interventions. Link to source.

Achor, S. (2010). The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life. Crown Business.

Ferrari, J. R. (2010). Still Procrastinating? The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done. John Wiley & Sons.

Steel, P. (2007). The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure. Psychological Bulletin.

Pychyl, T. A. (2013). Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change. Penguin Group.

Cirillo, F. (2018). The Pomodoro Technique: The Life-Changing Time-Management System. Crown Publishing Group.

Tracy, B. (2001). Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.

What if you could create mind-blowing improvements in your performance and life with minimal effort every day? In this episode, we introduce Kaizen—the Japanese philosophy of small, consistent improvements that has fueled massive success in industries like manufacturing. Learn how applying this simple but powerful concept to your own life can help you crush your goals without the burnout.

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The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

[00:00] – What Is Kaizen and Why It Works

[03:01] – Stop Chasing Big Changes: Why Small Wins Matter More

[06:09] – Fitness, Finance, and Compounding: The Real Power of Incremental Growth

[15:25] – The Invisible Path to Success: Why 1% Matters Every Day

[16:54] – How to Start Using Kaizen Right Now

Notes and References

Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success

Imai, Masaaki. Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success. McGraw-Hill, 1986.

For those interested in learning more about Kaizen and how this principle transformed Japan’s manufacturing industries, check out Masaaki Imai’s classic book, Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success. It’s a great read for understanding the roots of this continuous improvement philosophy.

Lean Management and Six Sigma

Womack, James P., and Daniel T. Jones. Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation. Simon & Schuster, 2003.

Kaizen is closely associated with Lean management and Six Sigma, frameworks widely used to reduce waste and improve efficiency. For more on these, consider reading Lean Thinking by James Womack, which gives an in-depth look into how these concepts can help businesses grow and thrive.

Einstein's Quote on Compounding Interest

The attribution of the quote “Compounding interest is the eighth wonder of the world” to Albert Einstein is widely debated, and there’s no definitive evidence that he actually said it. Whether or not Einstein said it, the principle behind it is incredibly powerful. By making small, consistent improvements—just like compounding interest—you can see exponential growth in almost any area of life.

Compounding Interest and 1% Daily Improvement

If you improve by just 1% every day, that adds up much faster than most people expect. Over the course of a year, those 1% gains can compound into something like 37 times better performance. While this example simplifies things a bit, the principle of compounding is key here. It’s about getting a little better each day and letting those gains multiply over time.

Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

Sanni, Anthony. The 80/20 Way to Productivity: Do More by Doing Less. Anthony’s Book: The Law of The Vital Few

At 80/20 Productivity, we believe in focusing on the few things that make the biggest difference. This idea is based on the Pareto Principle, which tells us that 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts. To dive deeper into this, check out The Law of The Vital Few which breaks down how you can apply this rule to everything from work to personal growth.

Episode Summary

Using Task and Goal Cooperation to Beat the Zero sum game of time
In this follow-up episode, we delve deeper into overcoming the zero-sum game of time management. We recap the fundamental concepts introduced previously and explore new strategies, focusing on cooperation as a method to enhance productivity. Learn how to align your daily activities with your broader goals to maximize efficiency and satisfaction.

The first episode is available here

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The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

[00:28] - Recap of the Zero-Sum Game of Time

[02:08] - Introducing the Concept of Cooperation in Time Management

[03:09] - The Importance of Goal Setting in Overcoming Time Constraints

[04:35] - Framework for Setting and Reevaluating Goals

[05:36] - Strategies for Implementing Cooperation in Daily Activities

[13:03] - Practical Examples of Integrating Multiple Life Segments

[17:42] - Returning to Time Management Strategies Using Cooperation

[25:58] - Summary and Key Takeaways

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Notes and References

Intro to The Wheel of Life: The Wheel of Life® https://www.mindtools.com/ak6jd6w/the-wheel-of-life

Anthony’s Book: The Law of The Vital Few

Ever wonder why sometimes you don’t follow through on your goals? Often times we feel like we’re not “motivated”. But motivation is a trick. The real issue is often values!

Dive deep into the world of values and their profound impact on productivity in this insightful episode. We explore how values drive our decisions and behaviors, particularly in goal-setting and achieving personal and professional success. Learn about the ten key categories of values, understand the conflicts between them, and discover strategies to align your actions with your true values to enhance your productivity.

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Key Insights:

Values are more than abstract concepts; they are cognitive structures that influence every decision and action.

Conflicts between values can significantly affect our productivity and overall satisfaction.

Aligning your goals with your values can lead to more meaningful and effective actions.

The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

Timestamps:

[00:00] - Introduction to Values and Their Role in Productivity

[00:22] - Understanding the Ten Categories of Values

[01:33] - Defining Values: Insights from Research

[02:55] - Detailed Discussion on Each Value Category

[23:59] - Conformity and Its Role in Society

[26:09] - How Values Influence Work Satisfaction and Personal Decisions

[29:23] - Closing Thoughts: Aligning Values with Life Goals

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Notes and References

Oyserman, Daphna. (2015). Values, Psychology of. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. 10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.24030-0.

An overview of the values categories: An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values

Shalom H. Schwartz https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=orpc .

Values Survey: https://www.framevoicereport.org/media/1093/the-short-schwartzs-value-survey.pdf

Anthony’s Book: The Law of The Vital Few