I finally figured out what’s important and it changed my career.

I'll give you the answer right up front.

The mistake that I was making was that I couldn't accurately distinguish what is urgent from what is important.

And so I was wasting my time (quite literally) on things that weren't creating progress. And when it comes down to it, creating progress is the single most important thing that we need to do in our work.

Once I figured out this difference, it changed everything.

Prioritizing What Matters

Effective leaders distinguish urgent from important and focus on high-impact work.

But how exactly do you find out what is truly important?

There are dozens of frameworks and thinking models out there. However, I've compiled the three easiest (and in my opinion best) below. Choose one. The one that excites you the most, the one that seems easiest to implement and the one that you feel you could stick to for the long term.

👋 Want to Learn More?

If you want to go deeper, I've put together resources to help:

• LinkedIn Guide: Optimize Your Profile for Success

• ChatGPT Resume Creation Guide (Full prompts)

• How to use the 80:20 rule to get more done in less time.

The three easiest frameworks for making better decisions

Eisenhower (Urgent-Important) Matrix: This classic time-management tool divides tasks into four quadrants by urgency and importance.

Tasks that are both urgent and important should be done immediately, important-but-not-urgent tasks scheduled, urgent-but-not-important tasks delegated, and tasks that are neither urgent nor important dropped.

The Eisenhower Matrix (urgent/important grid) helps leaders allocate effort.

• Quadrant 1 (“do”) items are crises or deadlines;

• Quadrant 2 (“plan”) items are key long-term projects .

• Quadrant 3 tasks can be handed off, and

• Quadrant 4 items eliminated.

As the author James Clear summarizes: “Do, decide, delegate, and don’t do” according to each quadrant.

Pareto (80/20) Principle: Often 80% of results come from 20% of efforts.

In other words, a small number of high-impact activities typically drive the majority of outcomes.

Managers are advised to identify these “vital few” factors and give them priority . For example, 80% of a company’s profits may come from 20% of its customers, so focusing on those clients yields the greatest return.

The Pareto Principle encourages us to concentrate time and resources on top opportunities, not spread effort evenly across all tasks. Ask yourself often; “What one thing can I do right now that will make an outsized impact on progress?”

Most-Important-Task (MIT) Method: Each day, identify 1–3 tasks that will have the greatest positive impact on your goals and tackle them first.

The MIT approach forces clarity: in a world full of distractions, determining which few tasks “move the needle” helps avoid busywork . By completing MITs early, professionals gain momentum and a sense of accomplishment that carries through the day. This is what I personally use. I love is so much that I created a template for writing down my three most important daily tasks, and getting them done.

In sum, the combination of mindful strategy and practical habit-building is powerful. The world offers countless distractions, but successful professionals constantly refocus on the high-leverage few: the 20% of efforts, the top 5 goals, the urgent-important quadrant. By using structured frameworks, learning from proven leaders, and guarding against biases, one can ensure that every day’s work propels the organization and one’s career in the right direction.

👋 If you are in need of more help or want one-on-one project management coaching, I’m currently taking on a few clients. You’re welcome to reach out anytime; just reply to this email or send me a DM.