What’s most important for you in your life, as you see it now? Is it your health, vocation, relationships, personal development? Perhaps it’s unfair to frame the question this way, as if you can only choose one. Most people cannot and should not whittle their priorities down to a unitary aim. But neither should your list of “most important things” be 25 items long!
I’ll hazard a guess that most people who thrive in life would name a handful of vital areas and relationships that are interdependent. Their family is important to them, along with their community and career; serving one tends to have positive ripples on the others. So while we should avoid taking on too much, our focus need not and cannot be singular in nature. To yield long-term, sustainable results, we should identify the ways in which our diverse desires are interrelated.
So let’s return to where we started. What are your most important things, and how can you act on them in a synergistic way?
To make things simpler, narrow your scope to the next 90 days. Create a sense of importance and urgency by setting goals that you can act on immediately. If you’re having trouble deciding what to aim for, zoom out; your 90-day goals should be aligned with your broader purpose and values. Begin with what you know is true, and work from there. And if you’re not sure where to begin, zoom in. Sometimes it’s helpful to break down the 90-day goal into weekly or even daily pieces.
Once identified, commit time each morning to work on your most important areas. Do it first thing before the events of the day start to kick in. Whatever progress you make during this time will create momentum to propel you into the rest of your day.
To complete the achievement bookend, set the table of success just before you go to bed by identifying a few things you want to achieve the next day. Set a high-level intention as you wind down your evening. Use our weekly planning process to connect your daily focus with your 90-day radar. Eliminate the noise by using activity filtering to create your “no, not for you” list. Activity filtering includes delegating, automating, innovating, and eliminating.
Celebrate your progress, learn from your experiments, and repeat the process. You’ll find yourself making steady progress in the areas most important to you. In the long run, this approach leads to growth, self-love, and a life aligned with your essential values.
If you’d like some help getting started, send me an email at ralph@getemergent.com. I’d be happy to set you on the path.
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