Key Takeaways
This piece is about Victor Küppers
This article is about Victor Küppers, a public speaker and trainer born on 23 May 1970 in Eindhoven, known for saying that life is mostly shaped by how we respond to events. [1]
The 10–90 idea in plain words
About ten percent of life is what happens; ninety percent is how we react. The message links modern positive psychology with classic ideas about focusing on what we can control. [1][4]
Change comes from habits
Calm reactions are trained, not wished into being. Routine, discipline, and small daily choices matter more than quick fixes. Carl Jung’s structured days and regular walks show how simple habits protect balance. [2][6]
Culture mixes luck, fame and choice
Küppers’ message often appears beside celebrity stories, royal gossip, horoscopes, and national lottery updates. That contrast highlights a tension between chance and personal responsibility. [1][7]
Story & Details
A rough morning, a better question
Coffee on the shirt. Cold shower. A painful stubbed toe. It is easy to say, “Why me?” Lifestyle features that profile Küppers flip the question: the real turning point is not the spill or the bruise but the story told in the next few seconds. If events are ten percent, the remaining ninety lives in interpretation and response. [1]
Two ways to live the same day
In the first mode, mood is chained to circumstances. Praise lifts; bad news sinks. In the second, a brief pause appears between stimulus and response. In that small pause, we can ask, “What do I want this to mean?” That pause is practical freedom. Stoic writers call it the split between what is in our power and what is not. Modern explainers call it the “dichotomy of control.” [4]
Stephen Covey and the space to choose
Stephen Covey (born 24 October 1932) popularized the idea that there is a space between stimulus and response where we choose. He called it a responsibility to respond, not a reflex to events. Küppers’ “90 percent” turns that space into a daily practice of enthusiasm, kindness, and self-command. [5]
Habits, willpower, and slow progress
Many people say the flare of anger comes first and thought comes later. Küppers does not deny it. He suggests very small drills: one slower breath before a sharp reply; one choice not to let a traffic jam define the evening; one effort to read a partner’s bad day with patience. Motivation starts things; discipline maintains them. Over time, chosen habits widen the gap between what happens and what follows. [1]
Jung’s routine and the dignity of simple structure
Carl Gustav Jung (born 26 July 1875) described how, after illness, he worked in the morning, rested in the afternoon, and walked twice a day for about forty-five minutes. Nothing heroic—just anchors that kept mind and body steady. The lesson fits Küppers’ theme: stable routines protect our ability to respond well. [2][6]
Older echoes: Nietzsche and the steady “yes”
Friedrich Nietzsche (born 15 October 1844) urged readers to affirm life as a whole, including its pain and disorder. That stance sits close to this modern advice: choose the best possible response inside imperfect conditions. [6]
Noise around us: stars, signs, and numbers
On the same pages that repeat the 10–90 idea, readers meet reality-TV romances, style columns, royal headlines, and a prime-time dance competition. They also see daily horoscopes and links to check official lottery results for national draws, six-number games, EuroMillions, and the daily number game. Against that noise of fate and fortune, the focus on reaction feels modest—and quietly radical. [1][7][8]
One clear talk to watch
A single, widely viewed talk on the official TEDx Talks channel distills Küppers’ message with an easy image: people are “light bulbs,” and attitude is the multiplier. It is direct, practical, and strong on examples. [9]
Conclusions
Claim the small space you control
Spills, delays, sharp comments, and surprises will keep coming. Celebrities and royals will keep filling headlines. Lotteries will keep creating a few sudden winners. Horoscopes will keep hinting at destiny. The small pause before reacting—owned by no one but you—remains. Train that pause, and the day changes shape. [1][4][5]
A softer way to read the day
A good day is not a day without problems. It is a day in which problems are handled with a little more steadiness than yesterday. Habits, not hype. A clear head, not perfect luck. That is the quiet craft behind the 90 percent rule. [2][4][9]
Sources
[1] El Español – Feature coverage on Victor Küppers and the “10 percent events / 90 percent reaction” idea (science and lifestyle desk). https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/20251114/victor-kuppers-experto-psicologia-felicidad-vida-pasa-reaccionamos/1003744011122_0.html
[2] Carl Jung Depth Psychology (archival blog) – Jung’s 1947 letter noting two daily walks of about three-quarters of an hour and a structured day. https://carljungdepthpsychologysite.blog/category/carljung/page/1168/
[3] Encyclopaedia Britannica – Biographical entries confirming dates for Carl Jung and Friedrich Nietzsche. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Jung | https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Nietzsche
[4] Modern Stoicism – “Unpacking the dichotomy of control,” a contemporary explanation of the core Stoic tool. https://modernstoicism.com/unpacking-the-dichotomy-of-control/
[5] Toolshero – Stephen Covey biography and overview of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. https://www.toolshero.com/toolsheroes/stephen-covey/
[6] Britannica – Context for Jung’s and Nietzsche’s work and influence. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Jung | https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Nietzsche
[7] Official state lottery operator (English pages) – Results and information for national draws, six-number lottery, EuroMillions, and daily number games. https://www.loteriasyapuestas.es/en/resultados
[8] Official game page – La Primitiva results and rules. https://www.loteriasyapuestas.es/en/resultados/primitiva
[9] TEDx Talks (YouTube) – “Actitud | Victor Küppers | TEDxAndorralaVella” (official institutional channel; public, no login/age/region limits). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWecIwtN2ho
Appendix
Attitude
A settled way of thinking and feeling that guides how we interpret events and treat others; it can be trained through repeated choices.
Habits
Small repeated actions—breathing before replying, reframing a setback, taking a daily walk—that make calmer responses more likely.
Lottery draws
State-regulated games of chance reported by mainstream media; official results are published by the national operator.
Positive psychology
The study of wellbeing, strengths, and conditions that help people and communities thrive, rather than focusing only on disorder.
Stephen Covey
American educator and author (24 October 1932 – 16 July 2012) known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and for framing the “space” to choose a response.
Stoic dichotomy of control
A practical split: control your judgments and actions; accept that outcomes and other people are not in your control.
Victor Küppers
Public speaker and trainer (born 23 May 1970, Eindhoven) known for the “ten percent events / ninety percent reaction” message in talks and media features.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 