I lost a family member this weekend. It was my first loss of someone who was really close to me, and when most of these ‘big’ things in life occur, it gives you a chance to reflect.

What’s important in your life? Does your job come to mind as the first thing? Or is it family? Is it a friend? Where do your priorities lie? Are you comfortable with that?

You need to prioritize what matters

In business, in life, in leadership, etc… 95% of what you or I do is BS. The other 5% matters. Out of the hundreds (or thousands) of emails, texts, or DM’s you get every day – a small portion matters. You’re gut knows what’s important and what’s not. Follow your instinct. Your human, and 9 times out of 10 your instincts will lead you in the right direction. Corporations will weigh you down in useless paperwork, emails, messages, small talk, and a whole bunch more. I always think of the movie Office Space and the mind-numbing reports the characters have to fill out. They’re pointless.

In small business and startups – the only thing that really matters is money. YOU NEED MONEY coming in. If you don’t have it – you’re dead. Everything else is BS. It doesn’t matter if you used the proper Instagram technique to gain followers. What matters is making sales. If you are making sales – how do you get more of it? If you aren’t – why not? If you need answers to these questions, and you can’t think of any – search for them online or get in touch with me as I may be able to help out.

So many of us get caught up, and drive ourselves nuts over pointless things. Things that stray from our priorities. When I first started my career, I was hungry for climbing the ladder, and money. I was very rarely present at home. I didn’t see my friends or my family much. Recently this has changed. I value family so much more, especially after losing a family member.

Your goals, and what’s important in your life and work can change

If you’re not happy with your life – it’s probably because your job is crushing you. If you’re not happy with your job, it’s probably because it doesn’t match up with what you want to get out of life. The biggest thing to remember is you have a choice. You can change your scenarios. You can align your life and business priorities. The transition may suck, but in the end it will be worth it. How do I know – I live it, and I continue to live it. I’ve seen numerous friends and family members on both sides of the coin. Those that love their life, and their work, and those that are miserable with either work or life or both.

Constantly ask yourself what’s important. It’s okay if what’s important changes, and it’s okay if you’re not 100% satisfied with where you are. You’ll get there (maybe not 100% of the way, but close). I put the questions at the top of this post in my calendar regularly, so I know to always check in with what’s important.

Appreciate what you have. Appreciate that you’re able to change and better yourself. Most of all, appreciate that you get the opportunity to do exactly what you want in life. You can do it, and enjoy it. You may not be the richest or smartest person in the world, but you can be comfortable and confident in who you are and who you can become.

What’s important?

Love you,

Jordan ‘The Guy with the Bow Tie’ Rycroft