Be Wise - Prioritise
The following are extracts from ‘The Word for Today’ which impacted me and I believe will really make you think how to prioritise in life and in business.
If only they were wise and would...discern what their end will be!"
Deuteronomy 32:29
WHAT REALLY MATTERS?
One of life's greatest challenges is thinking and doing the things that ultimately matter and bring success. A life in which anything goes, is a life in which nothing goes. Wisdom means having the discipline to prioritise and the ability to work toward a stated goal.
The question is not,
'Will my calendar be full?' but
'Who will fill it?' and
'What will it be filled with?'
The story's told of a lighthouse keeper on a rocky stretch of coastline who received a new supply of oil each month to keep the light burning. Being close to the shore he had lots of guests. A woman from the village needed some oil to keep her family warm; a farmer requested some for his tractor; a mechanic wanted some to lubricate a wheel. All the requests seemed legitimate so the lighthouse keeper tried to please everybody. Before the month was over his oil was gone and the beacon went out. As a result several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very repentant. But to his excuses and pleading their reply was, 'You were given oil for one purpose - to keep the light burning.'
Be wise - prioritise!
LIFE PRIORITIES
- I'd spend more time with my family and friends
- I'd take more risks
- I'd do things that would live on after I'm gone.
Learning and growing into the next stage of life, keeping the drive and commitment going.
Wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook
Petty things steal too much of our time and we finish up living for the wrong reasons.
When an Olympic gold medallist was asked the secret of his success he replied, 'Planned neglect - until my training period is completed, I deliberately neglect everything else.'
If you react to every situation and say, 'yes' to every request, you'll never succeed in what you're called to do.
Several years ago 300 whales died mysteriously. Why? Because they pursued a school of sardines and ended up marooned in a bay. The little ones lured the big ones to their deaths.
By chasing small ends they wasted their vast powers and got insignificant results.
The apostle Paul had it figured out: 'The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me' (Acts 20:24 NCV).
What's your 'most important thing?'
One of the most interesting stories to come from the Titanic disaster was of a wealthy woman who had a place in one of the lifeboats. Asking if she could return to her stateroom for something, she was given three minutes. Stepping over money and precious gems littering her cabin floor, she grabbed three oranges and returned to the lifeboat. Circumstances transformed her values; tragedy clarified her priorities. Learn from her; be wise - prioritise!
'The Word for Today' is a daily devotional available online or in print. To subscribe go to www.thewordfortoday.com.au.
Peter Irvine
www.peterirvine.com
Peter is Co-Founder of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, author of "Win In Business", speaker and business consultant.
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