So when I share a lesson about performance, it’s not theory, it’s what kept me competitive from 2009 through 2021, a span where I went from finishing top three in the World Cup series in 2010 to winning the overall title a decade later, with plenty of podiums in between. That level of longevity doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from learning where to invest your time, energy, and effort. And one of the most powerful frameworks that shaped my career is something you may have never heard before:
The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle.
What Is the 80/20 Rule?
If you’ve ever wondered what is the 80-20 rule, it’s a simple idea with massive implications:
80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.
Originally observed by economist Vilfredo Pareto, who noticed that 80% of Italy’s land was owned by 20% of the population, the principle has shown up everywhere: in business, productivity, sports, and personal development.
The big takeaway is that not everything you do has equal importance. A small number of high-impact actions create the majority of your outcomes. In other words, if you want better results, you should focus more on the things that matter most.
Most people understand that concept. But in high-level sports, the message often gets twisted into something else:
“Focus on the 1%. Do all the marginal gains.”
Shave a gram off your bike. Adjust your tire pressure by a fraction. Spend hours analyzing tiny details.
There’s nothing wrong with those things. They matter… eventually.
But for me, they were never the foundation.
Why I Focused on the 99%, Not the 1%
Throughout my time competing internationally, I made a deliberate decision to flip that mindset on its head.
Instead of obsessing over the 1% details, I obsessed over the 99%. The things that would move the needle the most.
Here’s what the 1% version of performance looks like:
- Adjusting equipment endlessly
- Doing “marginal gain” tweaks
- Trying every new fad or trick
- Obsessing over tiny improvements that may not even matter
And here’s what the 99% version looks like, the things I committed to mastering:
Sleep.
Nutrition.
Training quality.
Intensity.
Recovery.
Mindset.
Consistency.
The basics. The fundamentals.
The “boring” things that actually decide who wins races.
These were the 20% of inputs that created 80% of my outcomes. They were the reason I could perform not just once, but repeatedly for over a decade at the highest level. If I had spent all my energy chasing microscopic gains, I would have burned out long before I ever reached the Olympic podium.
People often assume elite athletes spend most of their time on fancy optimization tricks. The truth? The ones who last, the ones who win repeatedly, master the big things first.
The Sustainable Path to Peak Performance
Focusing on the 99% did more than just make me faster.
It made my entire career sustainable.
Athletes burn out when they try to be perfect in everything, every day. They chase that tiny 1% by adding more, more, more until their mental and physical bandwidth collapses.
But when you double down on the major drivers of performance, everything becomes simpler:
- You sleep well → you train harder
- You fuel correctly → you recover faster
- You show up consistently → your progress compounds
- You eliminate noise → you reduce stress
- You stay focused → you perform with clarity
That’s what allowed me to line up at World Cup starts for 11 straight years at a world-class level. That’s how I was able to stand on the podium in 2010 and still win the overall championship in 2020.
The marginal gains mattered only after the big things were rock-solid.
The 80/20 Rule in Your Life
You don’t need to be an athlete to apply this.
If you’ve ever asked yourself what-is-the-80-20-rule and how to use it, here’s the simplest answer:
Identify the few actions that create the biggest results — then do those consistently.
Ask yourself:
- What are the 20% of habits that move me forward the most?
- What noise can I ignore?
- What big rocks do I need locked in before I worry about the small stuff?
You’ll be amazed at how much progress comes from focusing on the essential instead of the excessive.
Final Thoughts
The 80/20 Rule isn’t just a productivity trick — it’s a blueprint for long-term excellence. In my career, it wasn’t the flashy details that made the difference. It was mastering the basics, relentlessly, year after year.
If you focus on the big things — the 99% — the results take care of themselves.
And once those are in place, then you can start chasing the 1%.
But only then.
– Connor Fields
