What Is More Important - the IMPORTANT or the URGENT?

Decision-making and time management are skills and good news, all skills are learnable. You can learn how to become a good decision-maker or an efficient time manager overtime, as long as you are taking track of your progress.

Learning sounds like a long process. But such long journey can be shortened by a million dollar question- What is more important- the IMPORTANT or the URGENT?

It's quite confusing! Aren't they the same? The answer is NO.

First, let's define what IMPORTANT means.

Important is anything that has a very impactful consequence that will surely affects you whether in a short term or long term perspective.

Example, when you neglect your health by working very very hard over an extended period of time, the consequence won't show up quickly but it will definitely weakens your health in the future.

What about the URGENT?

Urgent is anything that needs an immediate attention that has a very little or no consequence at all.

Example is when you are craving for an ice cream. The urge is so strong that you will do all that it takes for you to get to the nearest ice cream stand. But when you think about it, it has no valuable consequence. It's not a matter of life and death though the urge feels like it is ;)

So, the difference all boils down to CONSEQUENCE. The impact or effect of a certain action on you in the future.

But have you stretched your eyes long enough to really see the future? Are you a long term thinker or you always give in to instant gratification?

Time to test your perspective now.

1. Sleep or drinking?
2. Sex or Commitment?
3. Nachos or Banana?
4. News or Gospel?
5. Book or Comics?

Quite easy to choose, right? But how about on these?

1. A job as a celebrity that sponsors your condominium, car and clothes with $100,000 salary per month OR a job as a travel blogger that sponsors your trip all around the world with pocket money and a basic salary of $90,000 a month?

2. Love OR respect?

3. A handsome, sympathetic guy who has a big mansion in Hawaii OR a handsome businessman who has 5 existing companies and a vacation homes all over the world?

4. A beautiful women with a perfect body and godly attitude OR a beautiful woman who looks like a barbie dolls and has a refined manner and great conduct?

5. Passion OR money?

What drives your decisions? Do really know how to see the real VALUE of things if all the options seem attractive and irresistible?

One of those choices will always be important and the rest are just urgent desires of your ego. Choose wisely!