“Get your priorities straight!” is typically a comment or barb that comes hurling towards you in the heat/fog of bad judgment; but at YSN we rarely hear it talked about as a tool to empower you, make you happierxand of course, make you more successful. If you really think about it, having a clear sense of YOUR priorities, at any point in your life, is critical to making the right choices to keep you on the right path for YOU.
Think of your priorities as your own personal decision-making filter. Any time you have a decision to make that involves allocating your time, money or energy — from where to spend the weekend to how to spend the next few years of your life — run the idea through this PRIORITY FILTER.
Take the next 3 minutes and a pick out your top 5 priorities from the list below.
ACHIEVEMENT (sense of accomplishment)
ADVANCEMENT (promotions)
ADVENTURE (new and challenging experiences)
AFFECTION (love, caring)
COMPETITIVENESS (winning, taking risks)
COOPERATION (working well with others)
CREATIVITY (being imaginative, innovative)
ECONOMIC SECURITY (financial stability, independence)
FAME (being famous, well-known)
FREEDOM (autonomy, independence)
FRIENDSHIP (close relations with others)
INTEGRITY (honesty, standing up for one’s beliefs)
INVOLVEMENT (participating, belonging)
LOCATION (city/country, near family/friends)
LOYALTY (duty, respect, obedience)
ORDER (tranquility, stability, conformity)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (use of potential)
PLEASURE (fun, laughs, leisurely lifestyle)
POWER (control, authority, influence over others)
PRESTIGE (reputation, image, status)
RECOGNITION (acknowledgement of worth)
RESPONSIBILITY (accountable for results)
SELF-RESPECT (personal pride, identity)
VARIETY (diversity of projects, newness)
WEALTH (making money, getting rich)
Now you’ve got your own PRIORITY FILTER. Keep the list in your wallet, on your wall, in your deskxwherever you can see it often and refer to it quickly. But first, take it for a spin. Test it out on your current job. Or if you’re a student, test your current life against it. It should tell you a lot!
