My development strategy is 80/10/10
📸 Photograph: Justine Anweiler, Tinsel Hair, 2025.
I’m obsessed with betterment: personal, professional, spatial, relational – you name it, I’m into it.
And probably so are you if you’re reading this.
I have found with friends, family and clients that when they ask for my help, they see their project as half-baked.
Sitting at 50%.
As someone with 2 degrees of separation, I often see their project as 80% there and awesome., I often see it as 80% there and awesome. Our common ground is both of us know there’s potential, so it’s my job to …
1. Understand what’s already there working in their favour - 80%
2. Highlight the blind spots and small steps needed for improvement - 10%
3. Initiate the reframe and have them run with the momentum we created - 10%
80% - I see and hold the vision
10% - We build and co-create together
10% - They are off to the races
Stay tuned for a balcony garden project I recently completed for a friend in Berlin.
📸 Photo from Pini's (aka Kristin Borlinghaus) balcony 🪴
Article FAQs generated by AI:
1. Why is the 80/10/10 development strategy effective?
The 80/10/10 strategy is effective because it builds confidence by recognizing that the majority of a project is already working, which reduces overwhelm. It then adds just the right amount of constructive input (10%) and energizing momentum (10%) to unlock forward movement without making the process feel heavy or overly critical.
2. What unique skills do I need to execute this strategy?
A person needs a unique blend of perception, refinement, and motivational leadership. Specifically, they would need: Visionary discernment – the ability to see what’s already working (the 80%) in someone else’s project, business, or life and recognize its underlying value, even when it appears incomplete or messy to the owner. Strategic insight – a talent for identifying subtle blind spots and untapped opportunities (the next 10%) and knowing how to shift or refine them with minimal disruption but maximum impact. Catalytic presence – the energetic ability to spark belief and momentum in others (the final 10%) through clear reframes, encouragement, and timing—helping them move from hesitation to action.
3. What other credible sources use a similar method?
IDEO’s design thinking model also echoes this approach. It focuses on empathy (what’s already there), ideation and prototyping (small iterative improvements), and testing (momentum and refinement)—a clear match to the 80/10/10 spirit.
Another is Seth Godin, who often speaks about the idea of "shipping" creative work that is good enough to move forward rather than waiting for perfection. His philosophy supports the idea that momentum and clarity often come after action, not before—very similar to the 10% reframe and 10% momentum structure.
One well-known figure whose approach resembles the 80/10/10 development strategy is Marie Forleo, author of Everything is Figureoutable. She emphasizes progress over perfection and encourages creators to "start before you're ready"—a mindset that aligns with recognizing something as 80% complete and taking small steps to refine it.