10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% is decided by how you react. We have no control over 10%: We can’t stop the car breaking down or the plane being delayed. The other 90% is different. Let’s use an example:
You’re eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks a cup of coffee onto your shirt. You have no control over what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react. You swear. You harshly scold your daughter. She breaks down in tears. You turn to your wife and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Your daughter was too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. You rush to drive her to school. Because you’re late, you drive 80 km/h in a 60 zone. After a 15-minute delay and a R300 traffic fine, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs in without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Back home, you find wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter. Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it? The answer is ‘D’. You had no control over the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds after is what caused your bad day. Here’s what should have happened: Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, ‘It’s ok honey, be more careful next time’. Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come down in time to see your child getting on the bus. She waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good a day you are having. 2 different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.Why? Because of how you REACTED.
90/10 Principle
