What If Everything is a Top Priority?

We hear it all the time, "You must prioritize." Or maybe it is, "Set your priorities for the day." How about, "Do your top priorities first." Well, what do you do when everything is a top priority?

Stop, take a deep breath, calm down and remember, not everything has the same importance. That's reality. I hear some people saying right now, "No, reality is EVERYTHING is a top priority!"

Not really. Everything is not a top priority. We must all learn to distinguish which things are more important and how to prioritize the things we must attend to. We can, and we must decide which things are more important. Distinguishing which things have priority for the day will reduce stress and enable you to focus on what is really important.

You CAN'T do it all! No one can. That is why setting priorities is so important and why everyone tells you that you must set them. Therefore, once you have made your list of "to dos" in whatever system you have chosen for yourself, you need to ask yourself a few questions. First ask, "What really must be done today?" Then ask, "What can wait till another time?" Also ask yourself, "What items on this list advance me toward my goals the most?" Asking these questions will help you sort through the myriad of things you have scheduled and placed on your "to do" list. These questions will help you realize what really is a top priority and what really isn't.

Evaluate the consequences of not doing an item. Evaluate the consequences of doing the item at a later time. If you are having difficulties establishing priorities, you may want to ask someone else. At work, a fellow employee may be able to assist you with what is important. If your boss gave you multiple tasks, ask your boss to help prioritize them. At home, your spouse or a friend may be helpful in assisting you with determining what is really important and what should be a priority.

Not long ago a fellow writer and I were discussing various projects we each had going and we helped each other prioritize some of our numerous projects. Nothing says you have to go it alone. Get some help when needed.

There is one thing that everyone should include on their list. Make yourself your top priority! On airplanes, they tell you in case of an emergency, to put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others. You must take care of yourself first in order to help anyone else. You must make time for yourself. This includes a variety of things to keep you healthy and sane. Exercise, proper nutrition, relaxation and stress reducing activities need to be included in your schedule. If you don't make yourself a priority, sooner or later you will burn out and everything will be affected negatively. So while everything is not a top priority, YOU are. Treat yourself as such, and distinguish which of your other activities need your immediate attention and you will be in better control of your time and your life.

Twelve Pillars by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener - A review

Jim Rohn has been imparting wisdom and sharing his success philosophies and principles for over thirty years. Chris Widener is a rather newcomer to the field of personal development compared with Rohn, but he has also shared the stage with some impressive people sharing his wisdom through speaking and writing. Now these two personal development professionals have teamed up to write a short little novel that contains a tremendous amount of wisdom in twelve secrets of success.

The book,titled "Twelve Pillars," is short, only 120 pages, and very easy to read. It is a story of a young man named Michael. After his car breaks down, Michael meets an old man named Charlie. Charlie teaches Michael about the twelve Pillars of Success. The Pillars, or lessons, are very simple, but that does not mean they are not extremely powerful. If you really take what Rohn and Widener are teaching through this story to heart, you will undoubtedly achieve more and live a more productive and happy life. You will live a life that is much more fulfilling and be rewarded with more meaningful relationships.

Just because the lessons are simple, does not mean they are necessarily simple to incorporate into your life. However, if you have this little book there to remind you and keep you on track, you will surely become a more successful person.

I really enjoyed the story and I'm sure I'll read it again and again each time I need a quick boost and reminder of those things to focus on. It is such a quick read with so powerful a message, I'd encourage everyone to read it more than once. Let the lessons these two teach sink in and make sure you act upon them.

Twelve Pillars by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener will surely inspire you to take your life to the next level and beyond. It will challenge and encourage you to become the best that you can be. All you need to do is read it, learn from it, and take action on the twelve pillars of success.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

A Reminder to Take Time for What's Important

Yesterday a friend shared the news that a relative of his just died of a heart attack, and he was himself a heart surgeon, taking up that career because of his father's death by heart attack. The thing that hit home, yet again, was he was only 41. I'm 41!

I say yet again because my wife's brother-in-law died a couple years ago, and he was in his early 40s as well. In the last few years, there have been a number of people my age who have passed away from this or that. I'm sure everyone can think of people they know that have left too soon.

What are we learning from it?

How often have we made promises to ourselves to do something, only to have time slip away until it is too late? Have you ever meant to get a hold of someone only to then hear the news that they have passed on? Do you have any regrets such as, "I wish I would have . . . before they died." I know I do. And there is not a thing I can do about those past regrets. I wish like heck that I would have done a few things, called a few people, said thanks or I love you to certain individuals before it became too late. Alas, I can't go back. None of us can.

However, we can look forward! We can take the time right now to LIVE and not just let life pass us by. Take the time to say thank you to those people you have been meaning to contact. Make time to say I love you to those you care about, especially those you don't communicate with that often. Reach out and mend those strained relationships before it is too late. Determine what is important in your life and get to it.

Each and every time a friend or acquaintance dies, I am reminded of my own mortality. It motivates me to get busy and work toward accomplishing the goals I've set for myself, and to make time for things that are really important. I still don't do as good of a job as I'd like. There are still people I have not talked to for way too long that I need to look up and reconnect with. There are still times that I don't do what I have determined is important.

Another death. Another reminder of my and everyone else's mortality. Another reminder that there are things I want to accomplish and people I want to thank, connect with, and tell them how much I care about them. Another reminder that they won't be around forever, and that we never know just when they will leave. Another reminder that I don't have all the time in the world, because I won't be around forever either, and we never know just how much time we have left.

I don't know about you, but I think I'll look up an old friend this week and make sure I connect with them. I'm going to spend some extra time with my little girl this week and help her with something she wants to do. I'm going to go out of my way to say thanks to someone before the week is through. I'm going to tell at least five people this week how much they mean to me. And I'm going to attempt to remember this on a continual basis without the reminders that seem to come all too often.

Ready, Set, Organize! - A Review by Alain Burrese

"Ready, Set, Organize! A Workbook for the Organizationally Challenged" by Pipi Campbell Peterson with Mary Campbell is just what it claims to be, a book of useful, entertaining, and quick advice for work and home.

If you are unorganized, you don't want to read a huge length text on what you need to do. After all, time is something you are most likely short of, that is part of the problem! One thing I really liked about "Ready, Set, Organize!" is that it was a quick read. Being disorganized wastes time. This book takes no time at all to gain advice that you can put to use now.

If you like lists, you will especially like "Ready, Set, Organize!" The book contains numerous list and charts to assist you with your planning and organizing. While you could just fill them in, I would recommend photo copying the pages and keep the book where you can make additional copies as needed. Or, you may wish you use the forms and lists in the text as guides to make you own on the computer so you can print them out when needed, or even keep your planning on the computer entirely.

The book is organized with nine chapters divided into three parts. Each chapter is simple, to the point, and relevant to get you organized right away. Part One focuses on taking the time to find time. It is the planning before the organizing. This is a very important step. If you are someone who already writes out your priorities, your mission, and your goals, this part might not be as beneficial. There are more complete texts on these topics. However, if you have never completed exercises such as these, do them. This is a great little primer to start. Chapter one gets you thinking about what your priorities are, how you use your time, and determining what your goals and objectives are. Chapter two then goes into determining what you want to accomplish with annual, monthly, and daily agendas. This leads to the third chapter which focuses on using a planner to organize your days.

Part Two focuses on your stuff. Chapter four gets you looking at what kind of belonging you have and what places you have to store them. And just like the rests of the book, there are lists and ideas to help you along. Chapter five covers a problem that many people seem to have with their clothes. No room to keep them all! If your clothes are unorganized this chapter will help! Chapter six goes into one of the biggest areas of clutter for just about everyone. The paper chase. Short chapter on creating files from piles. There are entire books on this topic, so if you need more help it is out there. But this chapter will give you a good start, and may be all you need.

Part Three focuses on organizing your household. Chapter seven will help you organize your home office, both for personal and business activities. Chapter eight has suggestions and ideas on organizing children's stuff and how you can get them to assist you with the organization. If you have kids, there are some good tips here. Chapter nine is the last chapter and it teaches you how to organize personal and family records, personal property, financial information and your final wishes. Most of this chapter is forms and worksheets to assist you in organizing. Photocopy them or use them as guides and you'll be able to get your things in order.

Read this book and get organized today. It is a quick read with loads of practical advice. It contains numerous lists and worksheets to assist you. If you really want to succeed in life and get the most out of your time, being organized is a must. This book will help you get started and more importantly, keep you on track.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

Create Your Own Future - a review

"Create Your Own Future: How to Master the 12 Critical Factors of Unlimited Success" by Brian Tracy is one of his numerous titles full of practical advice on succeeding in not only your career, but life.

I enjoy Tracy's works due to the solid practical advice he imparts through his products. However, sometimes his books can be a bit dry compared to some of the other books on the same topics. Nonetheless, if you implement the lessons Tracey teaches you will increase your success.

Another criticism would be that sometimes the material in Tracey's books overlap, and if you have read a lot of his books, you find some of the same things just presented a little bit differently. While you can criticize this, you can also look at it as a way to reinforce the information to ensure you learn and implement the strategies to succeed.

With that said, I did enjoy Create Your Own Future and found it to contain some valuable lessons. These lessons include:

1. Your Potential is Unlimited. Tracey advises you on how to take control of your mind and learn to unlock the powers to attract whatever you want for your life.

2. Clarity Is Critical. This chapter teaches the reader how to be clear about the things the reader wants to achieve and to determine what kind of person they want to become.

3. Knowledge Is Power. You must learn, and Tracey shows you how to become an expert in your field. It takes work, but it will be worth it. I could not agree with Tracey more, you must read and take courses to stay ahead of your competitors.

4. Mastery Is Magical. This chapter focuses on resolving to be excellent at what you do. Tracey offers advice on how to develop your skills and resolve to be in the top 10 of your field.

5. Attitude Is Everything. This is obvious, but still so many people are not positive. Take Tracy's advice and think and talk positively and don't think or talk about negative things or things you don't want.

6. Relationships Are Essential. Learn how to expand your network and improve relationships in all parts of your life.

7. Money Matters. Tracey teaches the basic but time tested formula of how to save and strategies to build wealth.

8. You Are a Genius. You don't need Tracy to tell you this, but his advice on unlocking your creativity will help you achieve more.

9. Results Determine Rewards. Take Tracy's advice and concentrate single mindedly on getting the most important results possible in everything you do and you will undoubtedly create more success in your life as you create the future of your dreams.

10. Seize The Day. You don't need Tracy to tell you this if you are reading a book on success. But he still offers great advice on being action oriented. This chapter will help you make things happen every day.

11. Character Counts. Why succeed and create a future if you are not a good person? I agree with Tracy that character counts and that the better a person you are on the inside, the more success you will obtain.

12. Fortune Favors the Brave. You must have courage and persistence to succeed. Tracy helps you resolve in advance that you will never give up.

These twelve factors, combined will assist you in becoming a positive, future focused, energetic, likable, talented, skilled, intelligent, and optimistic person who will undoubtedly succeed.

I do believe that each of us has the power to create our own futures. Brian Tracy offers a lot of practical advice on how to do just that. Add this book to your success library and more importantly, incorporate the 12 principles into your daily life and your future will be one that you create.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.