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About the Wiser Next Week Series: These entries will involve posting my book, Wiser Next Week, chapter by chapter, freely available to the public. Additionally, I’ll be recounting a story about something I’ve learned based on the chapter’s topic since the months that have past when the book was published in December 2018.

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Put Out That Fire

I still remember when I was in college and how I got caught up in the rat race of work, school, work, school and not much else.

It was a constant state of emergency where it was a matter of constantly putting out fires. Either my boss at one of my jobs would be breathing down my neck or a professor is putting pressure to complete an assignment. It was a self perpetuating cycle.

Since finishing college I’ve had the luxury of not having homework or professors I needed to answer to. The freedom from that responsibility allows me to allocate time elsewhere.

While as an accountant I was writing a book, since I left the States I’ve been writing web articles and producing YouTube videos. Admittedly few care and there isn’t much difference between me and peers my same age that only work a job in terms of political, economic and social standing.

The Time Management Quadrant

That’s not the point. And Steven Covey explains it best using his time management matrix:

Quadrant 1 (Q1) activities is everything you have to do such as work and school. Focusing on Q1 activities means you are going to be indefinitely scraping by because you’ll always be working towards the next bill that needs to be paid.

While Q2 activities may not mean much at the present moment, but as the years and decades go by, the extra effort you put in begins to accrue weight.

And this applies to

1. Building relationships,
2. Exercising
3. Learning new skills
4. Planning for a future occurrence
5. Building a personal brand

Why Continue When So Few Care?

When you first start doing anything, you suck and people around you wonder,

“What’s the point?”

But as time passes, you develop skills, relationships and assets that other people don’t have because you had the sticktoitiveness to do the things other people weren’t willing to do.

Its been said that actions speak louder then words. And you also say actions express priorities.

What matters more to you, the shorterm pleasure of Netflix reruns, or working towards a long term objective?

No need to answer that with words, by your deeds we shall know.

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Here is the “On Prioritizing” chapter of Wiser Next Week. Take it and implement it into your own life.

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Previous Chapters

“I Didn’t Know How to Do Laundry” Wiser Next Week Intro

“The Spray & Pray Teacher” Wiser Next Week: On Emotions

“Show Them Your Greatness” Wiser Next Week: On Fear

“Psychological Ownership” Wiser Next Week: On Loyalty

“Strategically Smile to Get What You Want” (Wiser Next Week: On Happiness)

“Your Body is a Car” (Wiser Next Week: On Health)

“The Gift of Time and Age”(Wiser Next Week: On Aging & Death)

“Project Your Life 5 Years Ahead” (Wiser Next Week: On Regrets)

“You’re Doing it Wrong” (Wiser Next Week: On Mistakes and Failures)

“Align Principles With Action” (Wiser Next Week: On Goals and Persistence)

Action is Courage (Wiser Next Week: On Persistence)

”See Things As They Are, Not How You Wish Them To Be” (Wiser Next Week: On Perception)

“Grab It By The Reins”(Wiser Next Week: On Opportunities)

“Ask And You Shall Receive”(Wiser Next Week: On Finding Solutions)

“A Part of What You Earn Is Yours to Keep” (Wiser Next Week: On Money)

“The 5 Principles of Entrepreneurship” (Wiser Next Week: On Entrepreneurship)

“Making A Living Vs. Making a Life” (Wiser Next Week: On Work and Career)

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