Forged in Fire

Most people have it twisted, their priorities out of whack. 

I’ve been guilty of this, myself. 

It can be difficult to identify what is most deserving of your time. This is especially true as we age, and our responsibilities multiply. Our lives become busy, and often cluttered. Everything has its own gravitational pull, demanding it be placed atop your list of priorities.

Our jobs. Our Friendships. Our social life. Everything.

This is a hard truth of the world in which we call home. There is a lot on our plates, at all times. It is entirely up to us how it all falls into place. 

How do we manage it? How SHOULD we manage it?

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My Experience

Before I was married, and before we started our family with our beautiful daughter, I had no real guiding light, or directional purpose in prioritizing my life.

I was wandering, aimlessly.

I’ve since developed a more sound sense of what is most deserving of my attention and energy throughout my daily life. Mostly due to (no one ever wants to admit this) trial and error, which plays out both intentionally and unintentionally. 

Speaking entirely from my own lived experience, there are no clear-cut directions on how to prioritize your life. There is no rule book mapping out exactly how much time each sector of your life is allotted. Because of this, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll regret decisions. This is inevitable, and essential for growth.

Because there is no pathway laid out for us – no “how-to” book written to ease our troubles, we have to accept that we are flawed, and that we won’t get it all right – ever.

What i’ve come to realize, in the absence of any wide-spread guiding principles, is this:

You must create your own. 

I call mine “The Five Rules for Life,” which I’ve written about in the past. 

A quote from the great Bruce Springsteen has been integral in my creation and following of this set of rules and guidelines, it goes like this:

 “Truthfulness, consistency, professionalism, kindness, compassion, manners, thoughtfulness, pride in yourself, honor, love, faith in and fidelity to your family, commitment, joy in your work and a never-say-die thirst for life.”

Enough said, right?

What else is there to this life that we live? What else, of real importance?

This, of course, is precisely what goes through my mind when it comes time to prioritize. Some things come before others, end of story, no questions asked.

My family, my fitness, my integrity, and my consistency.

Everything else? Secondary by comparison. 

To reference my own writing, in “Five Rules for Life”:

“Your life should begin to take form around time with family, not the opposite. It’s not a difficult concept to comprehend. The ones who love you most – they come first. No exceptions.”

You might be thinking, “I’m a long way from this kind of life.”

To which I’d promptly respond, “No you’re not. The only thing standing in the way is that very quote that you just muttered.”

It’s your life. Your decisions. Your priorities.

And so, I leave you with this: What is important to you? Do your actions back up your words? 

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