Marlow's Musings 2/9/25
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
The Super Bowl is today, and like many people, even though my team isn't playing, I will watch the game. The Super Bowl can illustrate the 80/20 Principle and a compelling lesson for living our Ikigai.
💡 Quick reminder: The 80/20 Principle asserts that a minority of causes, inputs, or efforts lead to most of the results, outputs, or rewards.
In other words, the majority (80%) of the good things in life come from few (20%) efforts.
One of the challenges people have in uncovering and then living their Ikigai is time. We have so much to do and so little time to do it.
That's why I teach an important rule.
There are few things of value; focus on those things, grow those things,
and make those things better.
Since few things matter, focusing on everything wastes our limited time. Which brings me back to the Super Bowl.
Researchers studied the first 50 Super Bowl games looking for patterns.
The Super Bowl is (American) football played at the highest possible level. The two very best teams playing in the ultimate game.
Their finding was startling. Of the nearly 3 hours the game takes to play and the 60 minutes of official play, the time spent actually playing the game was...
17 minutes.
That's it! Even more revealing, out of roughly 130 plays in a typical game, only about 5 plays determine the outcome.
This pattern holds true beyond just the Super Bowl. It applies to college and high school football too. Think about that. At every level of the game, from high school to the biggest stage in sports, success comes down to execution in a handful of crucial moments.
Very few things we do lead to the majority of results we get and even fewer produce the good things we have in life.
We need less stuff, but what we have to be better quality. Fewer activities, but deeper engagement. Fewer connections, but more meaningful relationships.
It is just 17 minutes and 5 plays that determine the outcome of the biggest game in sports.
There are few things of value…
Where could focusing on your vital 20% take you?
Word of the Week
Parea (n.)
pah-REH-ah /pəˈreə/ or /paˈrea/
1: (Greek) Denoting a close group of friends who gather together purely to enjoy each other's company.
2: To celebrate the everyday joys of life.
An Ikigai Moai, which we have here with Ikiquest, is a family committed to supporting and encouraging one another living out our Ikigai.
A parea is similar in concept.
Share experiences: Parea members share their life experiences, philosophies, values, and ideas.
Develop friendships: Parea members develop friendships and explore ideas to enrich their lives.
Celebrate life: Parea members celebrate the everyday joys of life and enjoy each other's company.
I wonder how many parea are gathering to watch the big game today?
In case you missed it…
This week’s Ikigai Thoughts for Today…
The first was Ideas
You will always find open on my desktop what I call my ‘Thought Library.’ It’s where I store all the best insights and ideas I come across.
Here I’m sharing five entries to inspire some pondering in your life.
The second was What’s in Your Cup?
I shared the history of Coffee Shops as communities and how the King of England feared the power of these conversations so much he tried to ban them.
Then I asked you to imagine settling into your favorite reading spot with The Ikigai Way and your perfect companion drink. Many of you shared what was in your cup!
Ikiquest+
This week’s Coffee Contemplation…Answers in the Questions
For this coffee contemplation, I give you two things. Something to contemplate and a way to contemplate.
Ikiquest+ subscribers can listen to it in audio narration or read the transcription.
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Interesting Thing I Saw This Week
River Runner is an interactive 3D visualization tool that simulates the path of a raindrop from any selected point on Earth to the ocean.
The website utilizes real geographic data to create an engaging experience where you can observe the complete hydrological journey through rivers and streams.
I gave it a try from my home (see image) and traveled all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Fascinating to see all the paths and bodies of water the drop joins along the way.
Comment of the Week:
This one from Jackson was in response to my query, What’s in Your Cup?
Here’s what he shared…
Not for me the dainty demitasse sized espressos or the Cuban coffee from the bakery or takeout window downtown in West Palm Beach (I am too far away now, for that, but never mind); not for me the burned beans from the harpoonist's bookstore cafe. Instead, I take a Tervis Tumbler (made in USA!) with its insulating double plastic walls, fill it full of simple coffee made from ordinary commercial brands--the blue hotel one, or the red one with the Shakespeare library--but brewed at proper strength, about half again as strong as the container advises, and if I am lucky then I can sit outside for an hour and sip and read and contemplate. If I am even luckier, I might have a thought, or two.
Thank you, Jackson, for sharing this poetic insight into what’s in your cup.
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from C.S. Lewis1…
Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.
The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.
Final Thoughts
Ikigai is expressing your essence and purpose in harmony in whatever you do. Focusing on the vital few things in our lives promotes this level of harmony.
There is a world of noise and disharmony right now screaming for you to pay attention. Don’t do it.
Ignore the noise and focus on the vital few things in your life.
Less…but better.2
Quest Well.
Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. New York: HarperOne, 2001
Based on a Dieter Rams design principle
I have never been a fan of American football. First of all, football, the real one, is a bigger sport! HA! 🤣
Now, seriously. Even though, I've never been a fan of American football, I can't believe all the things I've learned in my life from it. My previous husband used to be a Super Bowl fan. He would only watch the Super Bowl and would understand it deeply. He taught me about the Lombardi time, and I think he also spoke about the 80/20 rule too. I find it very interesting.
Sorry if I seem dismissive about American Football. Especially after reading your post. I know now, I don't like it because they waste too much time!! 🤣
However, I found the rest of your post much more interesting. The comment of the week was fantastic. I loved it. There's a lot to learn from it. And your final thoughts are a gem. I made a video about that same topic this week for my public speaking group on LinkedIn. It was about only paying attention to the things that feed your life.
Happy Super Bowl!
Wonderful as always David. Thank you.
It's your "Final Thought" that drew my focus most when reading this week's Musings.
"There is a world of noise and disharmony right now screaming for you to pay attention. Don’t do it. Ignore the noise and focus on the vital few things in your life."
This rings so very true to me, now more than ever. And yet, I find it a daily challenge (perhaps at times, a struggle).
I would love to learn more about specific habits, choices, and discipline you've built into your personal life to help you "ignore the noise and focus on the few vital things".