Prioritizing Decision Making

As a leader, undoubtedly you'll be making some tough decisions.  It'll be one of the hardest things you'll ever do, make tough decisions.  But when you're faced with that difficult task, ask yourself one question… "What Is My Primary?”  What is the primary element that affects that decision?  Your answer will help tremendously.  It will guide you toward where you want to go and what you need to do.  Everything else becomes secondary. Here's what I mean…

Marc Randolph is the co-founder of Netflix.  He has done amazing things in his life.  He told audiences everywhere about how he stopped selling DVDs and videotapes.  It was difficult to do that.  At the time, it was the number one revenue source at Netflix.  But Marc knew it wasn't Netflix's future.  He and other company executives brainstormed and came up with a different plan.  It was their new primary, create a streaming service.  Their decision changed the way we watch television today.  It's amazing!  One decision changed the whole direction of the company in measurable and meaningful ways.

Lindsey Vonn is the Olympic gold medal winner from Minnesota.  She has won 67 World Cup titles. How did she do it?  She trained six hours a day, six days a week, for years.  She knew her primary.  Her primary was to win.  By the time she retired in 2019, she was considered the most accomplished female skier in the world.

We all will make tough decisions in our lives.  That's a definite.  We probably don't label them as primary and secondary choices, but we all understand what that means.  Your primary brings you closer toward a desired outcome.  And like Lindsey Vonn, your primary gives you the reason to do the difficult tasks that you need to do to get to that outcome.  Anything secondary steals time, and energy, and focus, and resources, from your goal.  Your goal must be the primary.

Now that doesn't mean we don't pay attention to other details.  It just means that we focus on the important, and we give it what we need to give it, our attention, and we really go after it.  So with any tough decision that you and I face, ask yourself the question, "What is the primary?”  Your answer will give you the direction you need in business, in relationships, in fact In Life!

Have a great week.