A Prospective on Priorities
by Randall Worley (Transformational Thinking)
All of us struggle with keeping our priorities in order. Life has a way of shuffling the deck so that the things that should be first become last. Many years ago I read a book by Charles Hummel entitled the "Tyranny of the Urgent" that decribes this daily challenge. He describes the difference in the things that are really important and those things that are urgent. I believe that there are priniciples that if practiced will deliver you from the dilemma of experiencing the daily pandemonium that is common to so many. In this article we will explore a few insights that will assist you in "keeping the main thing, the main thing." The typical day for most us begins with us waking up with a torrent of thoughts that rush toward perceived urgency. Urgent matters may not be that important but they demand immediate attention and insist on action. We tend to compound the problem by immersing ourselves in all kinds of sensory distractions. Beginning our day with the TV blaring for fear that something may have happened over night that we must know before heading out the door. Reaching for our phone to engage in what is often meaningless chatter compared to what should be our focus. These are just a few of the distractions that vie for our attention and ultimately shape our intentions. I think the psalmist understood the supreme priority when he said "Be still and know that I am God."(Ps. 46:10) Becoming still and achieving a state of emotional and mental quietness is easier said than done. It is attainable if we give ourselves to knowing Him before needing to know anything else. A young violinist that was considered a virtuoso among his peers was asked how he had mastered his instrument. His response was, planned neglect. He went on to explain that every day he deliberately plans to neglect anything that might destract him from practice. As I write this article there are mounds of correspondence on my desk that remind me of urgent matters. It would be easy for me to lose focus and become paralyzed by what is at this moment periphery. Many battles have been lost by using the strategy of dividing and conquering. The ability to focus is indespensable to magnifying what is important and minimalizing the urgent. A magnifying glass that will fit in the palm of your hand if focused on the sun eventhough 90 million miles away will capture its power and set ablaze the object of its focus. We can choose turn the lense of our attention toward the "Son" and magnify His influence or turn toward things of lesser significance.
(This is the first installment of A Prospective on Priorities)
by lipitor Generico
December 8th, 2008 (04:12)