We can easily get caught up in the “noise” around us
if we allow that to happen.
The wrong things end up pushing the right things to the side.

An upcoming speaking engagement reminds me of a truism when it comes to goal setting. We not only have to take action, we need to engage in the correct actions.

One exercise I have facilitated has people first identify their top three priorities. This is followed by listing the top three things that typically claim most of their time in a week.  When they compare the two sides, more times than not, they discover disconnections between the stories they tell themselves and the stories they live. If these scenarios play out week after week, I suggest they have a serious conversation with themselves, a mentor, or coach.

We can easily get caught up in the “noise” around us.  Those people, things, or issues that distract us from our priorities are more than likely what we have allowed into our lives.  The wrong things end up pushing the right things to the side.  We end up doing a lot of stuff—but not the right stuff.

Video recommendation for the week:

This video has risen to the third-most-viewed video on my YouTube channel.  I conducted the demonstration about 6 years ago in one of my classes. It is a great metaphor for how we can let other agendas crowd out our goals.

The video comes to you in three parts: (1) the set up; (2) the problem; and (3) the conclusion and lesson.  Listen to the observations and thoughts from the people participating in this video with me.

Classroom teachers who may be reading this blog: Consider this as one way to introduce and/or reinforce the concept of priority management to your students. You could actually show it in three segments; pause the video after each segment; have the students write a reflection; then conclude with a group discussion.

Office managers, consider it as a reminder for your team to focus on the right stuff.

Have fun with it!

Make it an inspiring week and H.T.R.B. as needed.

For information about and to order my book, Stories about Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island, click here.  A number of colleges and one state-wide agency have adopted it for training and coaching purposes. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same.

My podcasts: The Growth and Resilience Network® (http://stevepiscitelli.com/media-broadcast/podcast).

My programs and webinars: website  (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/what-i-do) and (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/webinars).

Pearson Education publishes my student textbooks for life success—Choices for College Success (3^rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (3^rd edition).

(c) 2018. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.