
15 September 2024
Kalinga Mane, Agumbe, Karnataka
More than hard work, clarity and focus are needed for success today. Among the most essential traits that separates the high performers from the rest is “ruthless prioritization”. While this may sound tough, it does seem to be a bare necessity in a world over-flowing with distractions.
The ruthless prioritization is not only about time management; it is a deliberate effort to pay attention to what really matters. One of the most effective ways this skill could be tapped into is by applying the “80/20 rule” with regard to your actions: this principle maintains that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. But how do we identify and prioritize that critical 20%?
Applying the 80/20 Rule: Maximizing Results
The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 rule, is well regarded as a modern-day productivity phenomenon. The concept has been in use centuries ago by some of the greatest Indian leaders. Take the story of Chanakya, ancient Indian strategist and creator of Arthashastra, which states that “a king should not get his mind disturbed by smaller issues, rather should pay full concentration on the top priorities, namely defence, diplomacy, and internal stability.” Chanakya’s ruthless focus on core matters led to success of the Maurya Empire under King Chandragupta.
The modern high performer has one easy lesson to learn from this: Invest the majority of their time in the few tasks that create outsized impact. Indeed, this is also one approach taken by the legendary Indian entrepreneur Ratan Tata. Tata took the Tata Group from a domestic business house to a globally recognized conglomerate. He strove for and believed in the long-term vision of his company, even if it came at the cost of shortened earnings in the short run. In his own words, “I don’t believe in taking right decisions. I make decisions and then make them right.” His focus on the 20% of the actions which could produce 80% results helped him steer a company renowned for innovation and growth.
In your weekly calendar, reflect and ask: What activities generate the best output? Whether it is leading your team, securing major partnerships, or devising new ways to do things, knowing exactly what these high-value activities are will ensure you move in the right direction.
Organizing Your Day: First Things First
Another rule for ruthless prioritization is to structure your day around the big tasks. Instead of just going through a lot of small things and saving big ones for later, start your day with the priorities that will move the needle most. This plays to the philosophy of Eknath Easwaran: do the most meaningful work when your mind is fresh and focused.
Take, for example, the daily routine of Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, who gained stature to turn out as one of the most powerful women in business. Nooyi was famous for her effective use of time management and rigid prioritization. Starting off her day very early in the morning gave her enough time ahead of the chaos of meetings and emails, leaving her with plenty of time to make a couple of strategic decisions. All she did was make sure the most important chunk of work was covered when her performance was at its peak.
Nooyi’s time management and screening of activities to maintain priority were another important attribution to her success. Think of your day’s organization as a kind of three-layered pyramid: on top is the one big thing you really need to do that day; in the middle, your sustaining tasks; and on the bottom, lower-impact activities. By starting with the top layer, you set the tone for a productive day by ensuring that energy is channelled towards what truly matters.

Killing Low-Impact Activities: The Power of “No”
The most difficult part of ruthless prioritization is usually killing activities that do not make much difference. Most of us have this urge to keep ourselves busy, but *busyness is not productivity. Also, as Azim Premji, founder of Wipro, once said, “If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small.” This quote reinforces the point that in prioritizing, one must be bold and not be worried about irrelevant tasks.
This is easily done by learning to say “no”. It is not easy to do this in Indian culture, where we always try to adjust and accommodate everybody, but if you want to be a high performer, it is inevitably necessary. One of the most compelling examples of this comes from Narayana Murthy, one of the co-founders of Infosys. Murthy was a disciplinarian about time management and never indulged in any activity that did not align with his vision for the company. He led Infosys to global prominence by eliminating distractions.
The ruthless prioritization requires auditing daily actions, striving, and asking: Is this helping me with my big-picture objectives? If no, it is time to give it the chop. The mental clarity you get through restricting yourself from useless actions will free your energy for what truly matters.
Final thoughts: Focus, Prioritize, Accomplish
Ruthless prioritization consists of taking no more than a few items that genuinely matter, deep inside your heart, and forgetting the rest. By applying the 80/20 rule, organizing your day to attack priorities first, and eradicating the low-impact activity, the vivid profile of a high performer—you may realize your potential. As Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore so aptly said, “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” You equally cannot achieve greatness by being overwhelmed with the trivial. Now is the time for ruthless prioritization, focusing on very high-value actions; thus, success is sure to follow.
Learn more about Goal Setting and other tips for becoming a Top Performer at: ORL Leadership Summit 2024.
Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh).
MBA (BITS, Pilani), MHA,
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru).
Senior Professor and former Head,
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery.
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India.
My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius. I want to be a person with a bundle of experience.
My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!
My Values: Creating value for others.
Leave a reply
Prahlada Sir 💐,
Here's my poetic rendition of ruthless prioritization, inspired by the lives of Infosys Narayana Murthy, Ratan Tata, and the preachings of Chanakya:
"Focus like a laser beam,
Cut through distractions, like a hot knife through cream.
Narayana Murthy's mantra, 'Quality and Time',
Echoes in our minds, like a timeless chime.
Ratan Tata's vision, a horizon so grand,
Prioritized excellence, with a ruthless hand.
He pruned the weeds, with a gardener's care,
And nurtured the blooms, with a lover's flair.
Chanakya's wisdom, a treasure so old,
Taught us to prioritize, with a story to be told.
The 80/20 rule, a secret so fine,
Focus on the vital few, and ignore the trivial mine.
Like an archer's aim, precise and true,
ReplyPrioritize goals, with a focus anew.
Cut through the noise, like a sword through the night,
And shine like a star, with a radiant light."
🎯✨👏