How often do you find yourself putting off what’s important?

In writing this article, I would have liked to watch a few episodes of “Master of None” with my husband on the plane ride from San Francisco back to NY. Instead, after a few um’s and ah’s, I chose writing as what’s important.

Have you identified what’s important (WI)?

We may think we have asked ourselves the question – what’s important? Yet, what does this question even mean? How do you define important?

Could synonyms include valuable, worthy, central, essential, crucial, focal or essential?

Does what’s important mean prioritizing what you would like to accomplish?

Asking what’s important can be a guiding force in our lives.

What’s important?

How does completing a specific task fit into the larger picture or vision of what’s important in your life? When you ask the question, what’s important; you can define where you are heading, what you really desire and get clues as to how to get there.

Imagine an iceberg, where the question what’s important is under the water and provides the foundation for the rest of our lives. It takes courage to define our lives around WI. We can say no to opportunities that we know are just not right for us. Even though others may get upset, we can find ways to creatively deal with two or more important scenarios that occur simultaneously.

I have just returned from 10 days away with my husband and 83-year old father. I deeply love both men and they are very important to me. They handle differences of opinions in starkly different ways. You can imagine that there was some conflict. I had to take some deep breaths and let them work things out, as I held my love for both of them. Then I could also enjoy our wonderful adventures.

Attend to what’s important instead of what’s urgent.

It’s easy to focus on what’s urgent so we can get stuff done and off the “to do” list. We may feel a sense of accomplishment, though it may be short lived. Whereas, visiting a sick friend, taking 10 minutes to meditate each day, asking what task/s will bring in the most business or clients instead of focusing on busy work, often result in greater personal satisfaction and financial payoff.

Asking what’s important also helps us cut through confusion.

Are you stuck, at a crossroad or feeling confused, then ask the essential 2-word question – what’s important. Be open to your answer appearing in many different ways using all of your senses. You may hear a phrase or a song, see an image, feel or smell your answer.

Life is complex and yet asking the question, what’s important, gets to the heart of what we really desire.

Commit to doing what’s important first and feel the difference.