Owning Your Priorities
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.” Stephen Covey
How well do you own your priorities? Is there consistency between what you think is valuable and the way you spend your time? Do you have, in the words of Covey, a "bigger 'yes' burning inside"?
Think of it this way... if a family member, co-worker, or friend were asked to list what was most important to you, what would they say?
Would they mention your spouse, kids, or family? Or would they gravitate toward your passion for your career, hobby, entertainment, or diversion? Maybe they'd list your achievements, title, or climb up the career ladder.
Maybe an interview with observers isn't the most accurate read. Instead, perhaps the most objective indicator of what matters to you is your calendar and bank statement.
Where do you spend your time? How do you invest your money? Do they align with your highest priorities? Or, have you inadvertently drifted into the "good" and away from the "best"?
These are questions I routinely ask myself, so I thought I'd throw them out for you to consider as well.
Ultimately, you have to decide if your activities are worth the effort, but don't be passive in the process. When you decide which things require a "yes," the times you need to say "no" are more obvious.
As for me, I want to own my priorities by making decisions in advance about where I'll spend my resources. I want the "yes" and the "no" in my life to be tied to something more than how I'm feeling at any given moment.
Now I just need to work on how to say "no" without apologizing!