If I asked you what your priorities are, I am sure you could tell me. I certainly know mine. But the other day I realized we don’t always live them. We absolutely know them, but sometimes, maybe even often, we get sidetracked and pulled in a direction that doesn’t always align with our priorities.

Let’s assume our number one priority is our family. Have you ever been pulled away from that priority by work or by friends? Sure you have, everyone has. Maybe you said something like, “It’s ok, they’ll understand.” And I’m sure they did. Sometimes work or friends are the priority, but sometimes they’re not. There’s an awful feeling that starts to gnaw at our stomach when we get our priorities wrong. We know we made the wrong choice.

Today, I want to remind all of us, at all times, to know what our priority is—and it changes sometimes thought the day. At 9 am it may be work, but at 7pm it may be family. When you really truly know your #1 priority, decision making becomes a cinch. There’s no thought process to go through. I remember my friend, Sean, telling me a story when he was between jobs. A company was moving forward with the interview process and they said, “We’d like you to come in on Monday for an all-day interview.” Knowing how much he wanted and needed the job, he remembered his priorities and said, “I can’t make that day. Is there another day available?” Of course they accommodated him and I believe he ultimately got the job! He said, “No,” because it was his wife’s birthday and he had already made plans with her. He was not going to disappoint her. I love that story. Sean knows his priorities. Do we?

With Gratitude,

Beth