The 80/20 of Career Progression: Focus on What Really Matters

Welcome to this week’s edition of Career Catalyst. You can find previous editions here.

But if your calendar is full of meetings you did not set up, your inbox is overflowing and your career progress feels flat, you might be falling into a common trap: doing too much of the wrong work.

The truth is that not all tasks are equal. Some of the things you do have 10x the impact — on results, visibility, and on your future opportunities. The rest? Well to be really honest, some of it just noise.

This week, we’re looking at how to apply the proven mathematical principle of the 80/20 rule to your job — and how identifying the vital 20% of your work could radically change your trajectory.

What’s the 80/20 Rule?

Also known as the Pareto Principle, the idea is simple:

👉 80% of your results often come from just 20% of your effort.

It applies to business, relationships, productivity — and yes, career growth too.

In every job, there are a handful of high-leverage activities that disproportionately move the needle and deliver high impact. The real challenge is to figure out what they are — and then to protect time to focus on them.

How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your Career

Here are four simple ways to start applying the 80/20 mindset today.

1. Identify your specific “career accelerators”
Ask yourself:
- What activities lead to recognition, results, or responsibility? Check in with more senior colleagues to get their views as well. Ask for feedback on your work so far.
- What projects get visibility from key stakeholders?
- What do I do that consistently creates value?

Search for the patterns. Then double down.

2. Cut or delegate the noise
Now that you know what the career accelerators are, you also know what they are not.  Start letting go of the tasks that don’t align with your goals or growth. 

How?

First, cut out what can be truly ignored. Yes, just don't do them.

Next, delegate the remaining tasks that don't generate high impact. 

3. Block time for strategic work
Schedule blocks every week to work on your 20% priorities — not just what’s urgent. 
Protect that time like it is as important as a meeting with your CEO. Because it is.

4. Protect Yourself

Protect yourself from new work that ultimately will not accelerate your career. Don't just say yes to things — rationally assess whether a new task is going to deliver outsized impact before you agree to it.

One Small Step This Week

Take 15 minutes today to list everything you’ve worked on in the past two weeks.

Then ask:
⭐ What 20% made the biggest impact?
⛔ What 80% could I stop, shrink, or share?

You’ll be surprised at what shows up — and how much lighter things can feel.

If you would like to talk through how to focus your energy for maximum growth, reply to this email. I’d be happy to help.

Please let me know how it goes!

Best wishes, Stephen

Thanks for reading. If you have an interesting insight feel free to share it in the comments section.

If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you’d like to receive future editions directly, you can subscribe here on my website.

I’d love to have you join the Career Catalyst community.