Dare to Reflect: What's Really Important?

The holidays present the perfect opportunity to reflect on what's really important.  Many years back, when I worked for a large national newspaper, my office was next door to that of a man named Paul.  Paul was a white-haired Irish gentleman whose job was to oversee the distribution of the paper, and since the two of us would often work late evenings after others had gone home, I got to know him well.

One night, I stopped by Paul's office to chat a while before saying goodnight. When I arrived at work the following morning, his assistant, Gracie, was crying. I asked her what was wrong. She told me that Paul had died the night before of a massive heart attack. I couldn't believe it—he had just been talking with me a matter of hours ago! Paul's death had a profound influence on me. I began to ask myself whether I was doing enough of the things I truly valued. I questioned whether I was spending enough time with my friends—work had taken top priority for me. The shock of Paul's death led me to prioritize my relationships in a way I hadn't before.

I wish I could say that I've permanently broken those patterns, but I still need to ask myself from time to time, am I doing enough of the things I really want to be doing? Am I nurturing myself enough? Am I getting caught up in trivial matters? The good news is that we don't need to experience a crisis in order to get smart about the way we spend our time—simply making the choice to do something differently is enough. This weekend, ask yourself whether you're putting your energy into the things you truly value. You'll thank yourself in the long run.