With years of coaching under my belt, I’ve arrived at several key conclusions—but one stands above the rest when it comes to productivity and profitability in real estate:
The 80/20 Principle, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a game-changer.
If you’re not familiar with it, I highly recommend reading the book. But here’s the gist:
80% of your results come from just 20% of your activities. The remaining 80% of your activities? They only generate 20% of your results.
The Real Estate Twist: Are You Focused on the Right 20%?
Here’s the kicker: most agents and mortgage lenders do the opposite.
They spend the majority of their time on activities that barely move the needle:
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80% of activities = 20% of results
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20% of activities = 80% of results
This means just 20% of your time is generating 80% of your income.
That alone is worth a deep dive—no matter how efficient you think you are, there’s room to improve.
Identifying Your 20% and 80%
Ask yourself:
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What specific activities give you the highest return?
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Which tasks are eating up time without producing measurable results?
To be in your “20%,” an activity must be:
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Specific
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Measurable
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Duplicatable
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Predictable
Can you define the activity clearly? Measure its impact? Repeat it? Predict its results? If not, it’s likely in your 80%.
Turning the 80/20 Principle Upside Down
Here’s where the real shift happens:
What if you spent 80% of your time doing the 20% of activities that generate 80% of your results?
(Read that again—it’s a mind-bender.)
You’d easily double your business.
That’s why I’m relentless about helping agents stay laser-focused on the 20%. In fact, I often joke that I help agents go “blind” to the 80%!
Why We Have Teams: Handling the 80%
This is exactly why we build strong support teams:
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Listing coordinators
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Closing departments
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Marketing teams
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Seller lead departments
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Buyer lead programs
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ISA teams for nurturing leads
All of these handle tasks that fall in the 80%—the busywork that doesn’t yield the biggest results.
Top-producing agents don’t even think about the 80%.
They’re taking 15–25 listings per month by staying in their 20%.
The Recognition Trap: Why Seeking Recognition Costs You Money
Here’s a sneaky trap:
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The 20% activities? Quiet. No recognition.
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The 80%? Flashy. Lots of praise and attention.
But recognition doesn’t equal results.
Chasing praise can sabotage your profits.
I’m all for recognition, but let’s be honest—it often comes at the cost of your income.
How to Grow Fast: Shift Your Focus to the 20%
When agents want to grow, they usually pile more onto their 80% list. STOP.
If you want to grow fast, do more of what’s in your 20% until that becomes your new 80%.
This shift won’t happen overnight—but every step you take toward that shift has a massive impact on your bottom
line.
Important Questions to Answer and Act On
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What should you stop doing because it takes up time with little return?
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What should you double down on because it works every time?
What’s one activity that’s part of your 80%? And what’s one that’s in your 20%?
Let’s start the conversation—and help each other focus on what really moves the needle.
