The Gift of Clarity - Focusing on Essentials

When we speak of essentials for the new year, we are talking about what is necessary or extremely important. You must clarify what is essential for you as an individual, because what is important to one person might not be important to the next.

In life, just as in academics, there are core courses and electives. You cannot pass the core course of your purpose by having an "A" in non-essentials. Your fulfillment is tied to being good at what is extremely important.

Clarity is your greatest gift into the new year. If you are going to maximize the year, you must ruthlessly discern and know what is essential and what is not essential. We have limited time, so we must not waste it on the non-essentials.

A time-bound life demands wisdom. Many people get into the year and are so good at non-essentials that they fail the essentials. This is why some people are famous but are not fulfilled; they are popular in non-essentials, but they are lacking in the core course of their life.

If you are going to maximize your life, you must be careful not to major in minors. You must know what you need to master and what you need to discard. Your productivity in the year will be directly proportional to your ability to prioritize the essentials God has defined for your life.

Suggested Action

List the core essentials that define your purpose and growth for the new year, and make a deliberate commitment not to waste your time on non-essentials.