Photo by Arnel Hasanovic from Unsplash

Many have wondered and asked, “What REALLY is the formula to success?”


Most entrepreneurs would say it in the simplest way possible:
 

“Do quality work consistently.”  

 

If we think about it, the answer is too concise and sweet for a very complicated and promising question. People measure success differently, associating it with quantity or quality of life like money and security. Many would even argue that “doing quality work consistently” is too good to be true because they insist they’ve already done that, and yet, nothing worked. No miracles happened. No magic sparked. No overnight success popped in the charts.

But what they don’t know is that’s the problem — the lack of patience. Those who are still setting up their side hustles and start-up businesses love to satisfy their curiosity by absorbing information and energy from those who are living proofs of everything they believe in. But being a good student and listing down every piece of advice is not enough to be successful; you actually have to follow the advice or make your own.

Do you ever wonder how exactly successful people maximize their 24 hours a day? Do you wish to know if they programmed their mind to think of a certain thing at a certain time then shift to another thing? Do they operate like robots with no involvement of emotions or any consideration for taking breaks? 

 

They set priorities. 

 

If you care about something, your ideas, time, and energy will be eaten up by a person, hobby, or a decision. With the thriving of the digital age, fresh information, and messages shown in multiple kinds of media may get your attention quickly. You are prone to get distracted in milliseconds with all the technology around you. It takes discipline to say no temptation and stick to a strategic routine that will help you in the long run. Focus your energy on beneficial things that bring you to gain, not waste. 

 

WHY SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE? 

 

Setting priorities entails categorizing a task according to importance, urgency, preference, or any other variable you like to associate it with to achieve work efficiency. It also increases your focus and concentration on your personal goals. Setting priorities help you create a vision for yourself — knowing what you want to do for the rest of your life. It makes you more self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, time management, and knowing which of these we value more and which matter to us more. Then our time wouldn’t have to be wasted.

We have different priorities for everyone and these will change over time as we grow. No matter your status, your occupation in life, it’s a must to set priorities as it’s one of the best ways to increase productivity. A lot of people spend hours trying to figure out what to do next and debate on the next few minutes such as giving excuses why they couldn’t do the task. They didn’t plan nor prepare their mind and body for the difficulty of the tasks they’re set to do for the day. Avoid experiencing this dilemma everyday; it’s not only a waste of time but also a waste of focus. 

 

7 INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU SHOULD PRIORITIZE AS DAILY GOALS:

 

PEACE OF MIND 

 

When dealing with relationships, don’t settle for an exhausting relationship where all you do is give and give. Don’t agree to be in a relationship with no clear intention of your role and boundaries. Be clear where you stand and what you can get out of it. Life’s too short to be second-guessing all the time, not knowing your place. Stop putting your nose in other people’s business. Don’t attack a jealous heart; pray for them.

When someone hurts you, don’t respond quickly to hate or criticism. Stop reconnecting with people who couldn’t care less about you. Your life is better off without chasing after people who choose not to see your worth. Peace of mind must be one of your priorities in your twenties and even after. It’s the secret to genuine happiness.

CAREER  

 

Instead of criticizing another person’s courage to start his own business (because you’re intimidated by his progress), keep your eyes on your work. Stop comparing your starting journey to his and don’t measure your success to his failure and vice versa. Just because you wake up earlier than him, that doesn’t guarantee success on your part.

Constant comparison and feeding of insecurity will create a high wall of offense and your intentions will change dramatically. When your intentions change, you’re no longer hustling because you want to succeed but because you want to seem better and more successful than the other. When that happens, you’ll more likely lose motivation and burn out because your goals have shifted to becoming short-term and insignificant. 

 

FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS 

 

Focus your time and energy on developing your relationship with family and one true friendship. Prioritize those who have seen you at your lowest and still love you like you’re brand new. Stop chasing after friends who don’t want your pure intentions. You may have the best of intentions but they may not, and even if they do, they may not be interested in yours. Instead of impressing strangers to like you, appreciate the ones you have, the ones who stood by your side. Prioritize the people who understand your ugly parts and who are still willing to stand by you and your choices. 

 

SELF-GROWTH 

 

Investing in your growth as a person is as important as investing in your goals; in fact, they are mutually exclusive. Instead of prioritizing your role to other people, prioritize your responsibility and obligation to love yourself. To effectively be of help to another person, you need to be independent with your choices and wise with what you indulge in. One way to do that is by not falling short on opportunities because you’re scared of making mistakes.

The fear of failure is the worst type of fear because it’s a fear of being yourself, fear of being human. Mistakes are the way to learn, so if you’re afraid of making mistakes, you’re not fit to learn. You need to prioritize improving yourself holistically. In terms of making choices, making life-changing decisions, drawing boundaries, you must overcome every challenge as healthily as possible, with full regard to the consequences of your actions. 

 

FAITH 

 

Instead of wasting your time reading your horoscopes and comparing them with your friends’ and enemies’, focus on what matters — prioritizing your faith. When you give more time to strengthen your capability to believe in what you cannot see and pray for the intervention of the Holy Spirit, your life will become more peaceful and content (because you know you’re here for a reason, for a purpose).

When you know you’re safe, loved, and cared for, you wouldn’t be chasing after false gods and temporary things that seemingly make you feel whole. Unlike others, you wouldn’t be easily vulnerable to the clamor around you because you know more joyful days are yet to come. This will not only improve your mental health state but also widen your perspective about life in its truest form. 

 

SAVING AND INVESTING MONEY  

 

Make it a priority to manage your finances in the most beneficial way possible. Stop buying things that you can’t afford to buy twice just so you can appear rich or well-off. The longer you do this, the sooner you get broke for real. You always think your money is infinite until there’s nothing left to flaunt in your bank account. Then you will have realized all the hard work and sacrifices you endured were squandered from buying stuff and going to places that only looked good in the camera for a while but hurt your wallet severely.

The chances of restoring your finances will get lower the more you take stupid, impulsive risks. Being financially literate will help you become sustainable in your career because money has the power to grow your business/hobby sevenfold. If you prioritize your needs instead of your wants, the sooner you can save up to invest in practices that make you more comfortable in life (which is the goal of financial security), not struggling. 

 

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT  

 

With the inevitable pressure that comes along with the demands and expectations of society when choosing to walk through the daunting path to success, it’s vital to not lose track of yourself. Work hard but not to an extent where you’re spreading yourself too thin and your physical and mental health will be compromised. It’s important to always remind yourself your health condition isn’t permanent; its capacity to work and be of use is dependent on how much you give rest and nutrition to it.

You need to take care of yourself and love taking care of yourself. Tend to your health and wellness by not overworking yourself in an unreasonable time frame. Stay away from drama and being a part of the circulation of rumors; it’s always so hard to live a life filled with secrets. 

 

 

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” 

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe