Protect Your Priorities

Today’s note is coming a little later than usual–for a good reason.

We’re in New Buffalo, Michigan for our annual trip to Lake Michigan, and last night I told Leo we’d go fishing in the morning before everyone else woke up. My plan was to wake up, do my morning meditation, write the Daily Note, and head to catch some fish.

Leo’s an early riser and was already awake before I got out of bed–anxiously waiting to go to the lake. I told him after I finished my morning routine we’d head out. Although he didn’t say anything, I know he wasn’t excited to have to wait.

During meditation, I realized today’s note could wait–while the Daily Notes are an important part of my daily routine and my work, they are not more important than time with Leo and creating memories with him. The promise I made for the Daily Notes was to show up each day–I never promised a specific time, although I understand consistency is important in building an audience. 

After the twenty-minute timer went off I went into the house and told Leo to get ready because it was time to go fishing. The look on his face was priceless. His big smile and excitement in his voice had confirmed I’d made the right decisions–and that I had the subject for today’s Daily Note.

Often we say we hold things to be more important than others–priorities in our lives, yet when we examine our calendar, bank statements, and energy we compromise those priorities for things and people not as important to us. It’s easy to push our priorities–good sleep, working out, meditating, journaling, time with family and friends–to the side to meet the demands of today’s busy lives.

But, if we are going to be true to our authentic life and the Pursuit to live it, then we need to hold onto our highest priorities and fill in behind them with everything else. 

Write down your priorities, from highest to lowest, so you’ll have a friendly reminder to keep you honest and protect the priorities that matter most to you.

In case you were wondering, our fishing expedition was a failure when it came to catching fish—the lines on both of our poles quickly became a tangled mess—a bird’s nest as Leo described it. BUT, it was a massive success in quality time, conversation, and life lessons. 

Had I waited until after I wrote today’s note who knows if we would have had the same experience?

See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC