The main thing

I don’t know about you but I returned from my summer holiday a few weeks ago to hit the ground running…and running fast! Last week, in particular, I felt a bit like a deer in the headlights as one after the other the emails, phone-calls, meetings, errands and decisions, both at work and at home, came speeding towards me. As I reflected on the last few weeks, the wise words of Stephen Covey came to mind…

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”.

Ah, yes, what a good reminder! How these few words lifted the weight that I had been feeling. When we do indeed keep the main thing the main thing we are able to:

1. Maintain our focus,
2. Manage our time wisely,
3. Increase our productivity,
4. Say ‘no’ or ‘not now’ to that which can actually wait, and
5. Know with confidence that we are moving forward intentionally towards that which matters most.

And it’s the main thing that will serve to energise us and keep us motivated over the long haul through the ups and downs of life.

Re-focusing on your main thing gives you perspective and motivation

So I have taken a step back to remind myself again of my main thing and how I can keep it my main thing in the months ahead. I’d like to encourage you to do the same. You may find it helpful to take yourself off to a quiet place in the next few days and reflect on the following questions to do so:

1. What is the main thing for you for the remainder of the year? Whether that be in your personal life, professional life or the team you are leading (or even all three areas).
2. Are you keeping it the main thing?
3. If not, what changes can you make going forward to keep it the main thing?
   Or,
4. If so, how can you make sure that you keep it the main thing going forward?

I hope you find this as helpful an exercise as I did.