Just Three Priorities

If I were to ask you to choose your top three priorities for the next year, would you panic? How about for the next week?

I’ve been asking this of myself, with the expected resulting surges of fear. I stock up on legal pads because I think they make the perfect “to-do this weekend” list holders – choosing just three priorities makes me very nervous. I’ve been practicing enough to be comfortable with three priories for a day…but for a week, a month, a year?

So let’s dive in together. To create our best lives, our most passionate and blissful lives, we need to be able to clear out what is unimportant and create space for what matters to us.

In honor of the theme of simplicity, this month’s posts and practices will be short, sweet and simple.  Today’s was loosely inspired by Brian Tracy’s 30 second goals from Eat That Frog. Here we go:

1. Ensure you have 5 minutes, a timer (you can use this if needed), and some way to record your answers (a google doc, pen/paper, etc.)
2. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for today (or tomorrow).
3. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
4. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for the week.
5. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
6. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for the month.
7. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
8. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for the quarter.
9. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
10. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for the year.
11. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
12. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for the next three years.
13. Shake for a few seconds to clear your energy.
14. Set the timer for 30 seconds and list your top three priorities for your lifetime.
15. Spend a minute reflecting on your answers.

I found that my immediate priorities are very goal focused, while my long term priorities are reflective of my deeper values. My real goal is to execute those immediate tasks while serving my long term priorities (e.g. cleaning my house tomorrow while being fully present and delighting in being physical.)

What did you get from trying this exercise? Leave a comment and let us know!