Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” The same could be said about October’s theme—execution. It isn’t something we do one time; it is a way of life.
Execution is one characteristic common to people who move from success to significance. They learn the things they do that make an impact and make them a priority. They also recognize the time-wasters and establish a system to keep hem from derailing their lives.
When we look in our rearview mirrors, we see our priorities. Where we’ve been and what we’ve done tell us what was important. The key to a significant life is determining your priorities in advance.
In The 12 Week Year, we see the connection between thinking, action, and results. What we accomplish today is a reflection of our thinking. So, setting priorities and creating a plan are critical steps in our daily lives.
A priority is something that is regarded as more important than something else. Changing what we do each day won’t solve the problem; changing how we think, however, will make a huge difference.
In 2000, the average attention span of an American adult was 12 seconds. By 2015, the attention span shrunk to 8.25 seconds. By comparison, a goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds. Let’s be honest—it’s hard to establish priorities with such a short attention span. Distractions are more plentiful than ever. Marketers know more about how we think than we do. It’s no wonder many of us struggle to identify and stick to out priorities.
It’s great to know what you want to accomplish this year, but what do you want to accomplish this week? That’s a better question. When you have clearly defined weekly goals, you can establish daily priorities that move you toward your goals. Clearly defined priorities will give you the freedom to wrap up your day and spend time with your family.
Workaholics don’t have more to do than the rest of us. They simply don’t know how to establish priorities and maximize the effectiveness of their working hours. They jump from thing to thing without a real sense of what really matters.
As we look toward the final quarter of 2016, it’s time to rethink our strategy for identifying and achieving priorities. Use The 12 Week Year to help you establish some goals for the next three months. Use a planner to schedule your action steps. Review each day and each week to make sure you have accomplished your daily goals.
If you don’t set priorities for your life, someone else will set them for you. In Jeremiah 29:11, God said, “For I know the plans I have for you….” He has plans for your life. Satan also has plans for your life. God wants to guide you to achieve your most significant life. Satan wants you to be distracted. Who is winning the battle for your life?
Live on purpose,
Aaron Walker
