Minor things are so expensive

Have you ever worked with perfectionists, people who will not accept anything less than their standard? It is a good thing when we do things according to standards. We need to add thoughtfulness, care, and class to whatever we do. But we must use our energy the right way. When I was in high school, I had colleagues who would write neatly and exceptionally more legibly than I would ever do. Their notebooks looked so clean, with letters arranged perfectly and straight. Those colleagues would take extra care in creating notebooks that looked like art masterpieces. Unfortunately, the marks that we all scored in our physics and math had no respect for the beautiful handwriting. You could design your math results with whatever kind of craft you like without it meaning anything to the math principle. I preferred to focus on understanding the principle rather than trying to become an artist in physics class.

Think about it. Is it possible to get serious with matters that add no value to our endeavour? We sometimes get busy with things that do not necessarily help to accomplish what we planned or targeted. In many instances we hold onto little things that detract from the main issues at hand, majoring in the minor and vice versa. The problem with getting busy with minor matters is that of wasted time. We do not need to discuss matters in circles without making any decisions. We do not need to spend all the time insisting on our own points of view alone when there are many other views on the table. We cannot afford to dwell on past matters that prevent us from moving forward and onward. It is too expensive to spend time thinking about the wrong others did to us rather than facing the future.
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Here is where I am going with this message. There are major things and there are minor things. In all our doings, we need to separate what is major from what is minor. We need to identify what is important to accomplishing what we set out to do and separate it from what is not essential. We need to learn to let go of petty, minor, non-value-adding issues and focus on the major, essential, and much-needed activities. 

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Actions for the week:

1. It’s time for a review of your activities. Think about them. Which ones are major? Which ones are minor? Do you spend more time on the major or minor ones?
2. Determine to spend your energy, time and resources on actions that help you accomplish your goals. Drop of the small, petty, inconsequential matters.
3. Share this message with those in your network.

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A quote to remember:
“You’ve got to think about the big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” —Alvin Toffler

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Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent
​Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books