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PRIORITIES 101
Friday Oct. 21, 2011
Priority setting is challenging every day of our lives, but most of us don’t pay much attention to it. Most days we don’t see it as critically important – and most days move along without major incident. Most days headlines don’t affect our household. Most days those great troubles and the grandiose opportunities land on someone else’s doorstep.
Three important things on my plate - one is important and urgent. The others are clearly important, serious and worthwhile . . . but not urgent. I wouldn’t describe any of it as happy; but sad or mad or kvetching don’t describe it either.
Good things and bad things are going on all the time. Sometimes they visit us, sometimes they get the house next door, or the one down the street.
Three things – each significant in their own right populated my day yesterday; sure, there were many others of small consequence that got attention, filled my work day and need follow up today, but only three dominate my mind, dominate my day, and impact my future in significant ways.
I met someone yesterday (personal), for the first time, and had a great long conversation – and came away affected but not clear if she and I will get to know each other well.
I tried to reach out to someone yesterday (business), for important conversation – but I got instead was an email that told me little, if anything, that I didn’t already know, but most importantly there was no interest in having that important conversation I requested. When some people know there is something important to discuss they cannot anticipate or control, they will drive a wide circle around it in avoidance. And for what?
I visited my dad yesterday, to see about his paining right foot. Calls to doctors ensued and today we are off to get a problem attended to – hopeful that quick attention by the right kind of talent can solve the problem without the feared consequences that will unfold if it can’t. We’ve been down this road before and want, again, to not stop trouble in its tracks . . .
Will she be important to me, or not?
Will he sort out a winning strategy with me, or not?
Will my dad’s toes heal like before, or not?
How to rank them? A relationship to thrill a lifetime, a business/career opportunity of a lifetime, or my dad’s foot. These are dominant issues on my mind/agenda today.
I am effective at some things – but some things can’t be changed no matter how much we try, care or put our skills to work. Some things can’t be fixed, some things can’t be changes and most people cannot be turned-around in their thinking because they are the way they are.
No need to ask me which priority I’m acting on …
Mark Kolke
308,660
column written/ published from my residence in Cranston (SE Calgary) near the Bow River valley
Morning walk: -1C/29F, frosty coating, heavy fog, Gusta loved it and her inquiring nose was not bothered by diminished visibility . . .
Comments Received:
JUST LONGER
Life is far more than thinking...ti's the times when emotion and action dictate the course, imagination put into action is thinking in pictures I suppose... we are different flavors... different toppings on the Sundae of life...grateful am I to have such diverse tasty, glorious, passionate, loving, talented toppings spread generously upon my life... Though in some areas of the landscape of life my heart remains unspeakably alone... in others there is a deluge greatly prized, my tapestry at the end will reflect the wonderful colors of those I have loved, those loving me, healing me, those I have touched and those giving me strength to stand when I knew it impossible. Love the glue of life, SJ, Evanston, WY
I am reminded of that joke – that goes, “did you hear that married men live longer? Well, actually, it just seems longer”. Keep up the good fight, EC, Chicago, IL
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