Universal Models · Feb 2026
Pareto Principle
In any system, 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In prose, the 20% is
buried. CLN digs it out by using indentation as a physical
priority system.
01/The Vital Few
80/20 Rule
= Pareto Principle:
80% of outcomes stem from 20% of inputs.
= Examples: 80% of
bugs from 20% of code; 80% of value from 20% of work.
LEVERAGE (THE 20%)
NOISE (THE 80%)
02/The Problem in Prose
- A 10-paragraph
document treats every sentence as visually equal.
- The "Vital Few"
insights are hidden in the middle of text walls.
! Reader cannot
distinguish signal from context at a glance.
03/CLN: Indentation as Priority
Structural
CLN forces you to decide: Is this core or context?
+ Visual
Weight: Top-level lines (level 0) represent
your 20%.
+ Context
Burial: Indented lines represent the supporting
80%.
*
Self-Test: In CLN, what determines the priority
of information? || The level
of indentation ||
04Finding Leverage
. Write your CLN
block naturally.
. Review all
top-level lines.
? Can this be moved
to an indentation?
+ If yes → it's
context (the 80%).
+ If no → it's
structural (the 20%).
= Structure reveals
leverage. Indentation is your priority system. Use
it.