List all your tasks of importance on a scale from 0-100. Then question or eliminate anything that's under a 90. When you do tasks below 90, you inevitably have to make a trade-off.

Find what you should be doing

You have to ignore internal and external voices that want you to prioritise the nonessential. Not every goal is necessarily worthwhile.  However, serving others is a great and essential task. When we step out to serve somebody else, the non-essential stuff will disappear.

Protect your ability to prioritise

Take the time to explore and figure out the contribution you can make. Then go big in it. If you don't know what you're good at, use inversion. List all the things you don't like to do. Ask what you're passionate about or what you'd be interested in learning how to do.For example, if you want to be a writer, your first article doesn't have to be great. Just start by publishing it and then receive feedback. You can always go back and improve your article.

Consider what you're good at

High performing people are highly focused, and that leads to success. That success produces options and opportunities.
But if you are not careful, it can undermine the things that led to success in the first place. You fall into the undisciplined quest for more. Now you’re doing too many things, and while they may all be good things, it’s just too many different things. So you start to plateau in your progress or fail.

The busyness trap

Just because someone is busier than you doesn't mean that they are more important. Instead, only do what's essential. Ask yourself what your mission is? What did you come to do? Once you've identified what's essential, you won't fear FOMO. You'll start enjoying JOMO.

Being busy isn't an achievement

Admit mistakes. It can be difficult to admit to yourself that you were wrong, but it is an important first step.Discipline leads to success. You don't become successful, and then you become disciplined. When you become disciplined, success will follow. Take a 10-minute nap every day. Most people are sleep deprived. The brain goes down and, as a result, can't figure out the important from the unimportant.

Life advice

What was important yesterday, may not be important today. Always ask:<ul><li>Who am I?</li><li>Why am I here?</li></ul> Without asking those questions, the stuff on your to-do list could be entirely wrong.

Write a to-do list every day

Greg McKeown is a public speaker, leadership & business strategist and New York Times Bestselling Author. Do you feel busy but not productive? Like you're overworked but under-utilised? Do you struggle with information overload? Success breeds options & opportunities, which often undermines the things that lead to success in the first place. Today Greg teaches us the art of Essentialism; how not to fall into the undisciplined pursuit of more, how to avoid the trivial many and instead focus our attention onto the vital few. This podcast could change your life, don't miss it. Sponsor: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (Enter promo code MODERNWISDOM for 85% off and 3 Months Free)  Extra Stuff: Buy Essentialism - https://amzn.to/3bSd8jy Check out Greg's Website - https://gregmckeown.com/ Subscribe to Greg's Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/zXR5Fdfq  Take a break from alcohol and upgrade your life - https://6monthssober.com/podcast Check out everything I recommend from books to products - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Join the discussion with me and other like minded listeners in the episode comments on the MW YouTube Channel or message me... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ModernWisdomPodcast Email: https://www.chriswillx.com/contact

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Greg McKeown is a public speaker, leadership & business strategist and New York Times Bestselling Author. Do you feel busy but not productive? Like you're overworked but under-utilised? Do you struggle with information overload? Success breeds options & opportunities, which often undermines the things that lead to success in the first place. Today Greg teaches us the art of Essentialism; how not to fall into the undisciplined pursuit of more, how to avoid the trivial many and instead focus our attention onto the vital few. This podcast could change your life, don't miss it. Sponsor: Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (Enter promo code MODERNWISDOM for 85% off and 3 Months Free) Extra Stuff: Buy Essentialism - https://amzn.to/3bSd8jy Check out Greg's Website - https://gregmckeown.com/ Subscribe to Greg's Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/zXR5Fdfq  Take a break from alcohol and upgrade your life - https://6monthssober.com/podcast Check out everything I recommend from books to products - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Join the discussion with me and other like minded listeners in the episode comments on the MW YouTube Channel or message me... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ModernWisdomPodcast Email: https://www.chriswillx.com/contact Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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