New Delhi:
Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh has a piece of advice for business owners passionate about creating a strong company: avoid putting in your best effort every day. Instead, follow the “85 per cent Rule.”
Introducing her success mantra, Ms Alagh said on LinkedIn, “If you are serious about building a solid business, don’t give your 100 per cent every single day.”
Shedding light on her experience, she said that constantly striving for perfection could “actually backfire.”
“Over the years, working around the clock, I have realized that constantly pushing for a perfect 100 per cent can actually backfire,” she said.
She advised entrepreneurs to preserve energy, prevent burnout, and make better judgements by consistently putting in 80-85 per cent of their work each day.
“One should learn focused effort and strategic prioritizing. I call it the 85 per cent rule,” she added.
The entrepreneur explained how our “favourite athletes” train hard but “they also know when to rest and recover.” She noted downtime was “just as important for them to be able to give their absolute best when it really counts.”
“This mindset is crucial for running a business too. Building a startup is a long journey, it’s not a quick sprint,” the 36-year-old said.
“By aiming for a solid 80-85 [per cent effort daily, we can really focus on the important stuff, pay attention to the little things that matter, and ultimately get more done without burning out,” she said.
The 85% Rule involves “working hard and being smart about it” to preserve energy and concentration for those critical times when “there’s a need to give 100 per cent.”
Several social media users lauded Ms Alagh for her “wise words”.
A person said, “Here’s the thing. Nobody can give their 100 per cent every day. It’s great that people have started acknowledging that.”
“Wise words! Sustainable success isn’t about constant overdrive, it’s about smart effort, balance, and knowing when to push. The 85 per cent rule makes total sense!” added another.
“Such an important reminder! True leadership isn’t just about performance-it’s about balance, well-being, and leading by example,” noted a third person.
Earlier, Ms Alagh explained how work-life balance had been “misunderstood” in several organisations like “Infosys, LinkedIn, Netflix and Reddit,”, adding individuals should be free to define work-life balance however they see fit.
“The work-life balance debate arises from misunderstanding what it really is,” she said.
