“There is no one busy in this world, it’s always about priorities. You will always find time for the things you feel important.” Nishan Panwar
Why priorities are important!
Over the course of a coaching engagement it is pretty easy to discern a client’s priorities. Because I am not here to judge you, your priorities- those life themes that you deem important- aren’t anything I care about personally. My concern, as your coach, is that you HAVE priorities. Without them, it is hard to set set goals, create action steps, and manifest success. When you consciously consider your priorities and align your life with them it is THAT much easier for you to follow your path.
Priorities = What you deem important.
I love Nishan Panwar’s quote “There is no one busy in this world, it’s about priorities. You will always find time for the things you feel important.” This sums up why priorities are heavily weighted. When I took the time to determine my priorities and why I chose them, it turned out to be a real examination of values. Priorities often indicate values. The world can make sense of your actions based on your priorities. Conveniently, so can you. I’ll give a personal example.
For years I struggled with my weight and a few medical conditions. They made me feel helpless. I believed that my health was a priority for me, told people it was a priority for me, until I realized that I was depending on other people to cure me- to make me feel better. The truth is that my health was NOT a priority because while I was doing a lot of fretting, getting caught up in self pity and self loathing, I wasn’t actually doing anything different to improve my health. I just continued to do the same things that hadn’t worked already over and over. My priority wasn’t my health. Not really. And this was evidenced by my lack of results. Once I decided to prioritize my health and wellness, I saw results. I felt an overall sense of calm. I was taking action that made a difference. I adapted. I increased my knowledge base. My priority was evidenced by what I produced. As a result I am in a MUCH better place in my health & wellness journey.
I have clients that have struggled with priorities. I think we ALL do at one time or another throughout our lives. One of the things I work with them on is identifying what is truly important to them. This can help them determine goals if they are struggling and can really help hone on in goals that are more important than others. For example, if you say your priority is spending time with your family but you spend all your time on your work or on activities other than your family, then your priority is NOT spending time with your family. There is no judgment here but I will call you out on what is evidently more important to you. This is a powerful opportunity to take the time to reassess these things in your life and either make peace with them or make radical change.
Don’t let fear dictate your priorities
I think people are afraid to be honest about their priorities. Here’s the thing- it’s your life and no one but you can determine what’s BEST for you. If you feel insecure or in doubt over your priorities or if you are feeling shame around your priorities then definitely take the time to determine why you are having these feelings. If your conscience is trying to get your attention then by all means explore that. As your coach, I provide that safe space for you to do that without judgment and with the utmost discretion and privacy. The fact is this- you are the only person you have to answer to about your priorities. You never have to answer to me.
Fear can also inhibit you from making priorities. So many of us are people-pleasers. We put off our own needs and prioritize everyone else’s. Though you may not be making the conscious decision to prioritize what other people think is important you ARE showing yourself and the world that those are your priorities. Don’t be afraid to say no to what others think is important so that you can put what YOU think is more important first.
In the end- priorities define us- they define who we are and what we want our lives to look like. Priorities are important. My family and faith-values are my top two priorities. My business is third. I will not compromise the first two for the third or anything else. This is evident in the fruits of my life. I am happy with those fruits even though I sometimes have to make hard choices. But these are mine and I can OWN them! What are your priorities? Are you living true to those priorities? If not, why not?
Contact me HERE today if you would like to talk priorities and see how coaching can help you prioritize your life according to YOUR values in order to be fulfilled and purposeful.