Sure, do what you get paid for or care about intentionally, but framing it as being in the "top x%" is just so off-putting. I don't want to constantly compare myself to others. I'd rather compare myself today to myself yesterday. Or, you know, just do things I enjoy because I enjoy them.
As for wanting influence, I can't relate at all. I just want sovereignty over my own life.
You don't have to do that with everything in life, but you can do that with the things you care about.
It could be actually practicing chess, it could be following a training plan while running, and it could be rising through the ranks at work.
I like cycling, and I know with a consistent routine I improve a lot more than my friends who just cycle on once or twice a week. I'm not trying to be better than them, I just really enjoy being a good cyclist.
The two points in the article, that 80% is done by 20% and that to get to 20% all you need is relatively little effort, if taken to heart give license to deride those who aren’t in the 20% because clearly if they cared at all they’d just try and be solid at things.
Siddhartha[0] recently was on the front page. I’d highly recommend it as a much more humanist take on “the world isn’t that daunting so long as you are intentional with your actions.”