We only have a limited trove of energy and time everyday, so how do we pick the best opportunities?

There are countless articles that expand on something known as the 80-20 rule, or the Pareto Principle: Basically, 20% of your efforts will produce 80% of your results. How do you know which 20% of your efforts are producing 80% of your results?

You can create a situation where (theoretically) you are achieving a lot more with the same amount of effort you put in. Let's examine some criteria for opportunities.