"X" Marks the Spot - Part Three in the Prioritize Your Life Series

Let’s go treasure hunting! 

Really, that is what life is all about right? Looking for those things that few have but we all want: the “jewels” of life. 

A great relationship, a good career, and a memorable life are just a few of the “jewels” we chase. 

What if I told you that obtaining these things are possible? What if I said, it all depends on you?  

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21 

A Focus on Priorities 

Earlier this week we talked about how to develop priorities. Now we need to talk about applying our priorities. 

For me, my optimum list looks like this: (Yours may be different) 

· God 
· Myself 
· My husband 
· My kids 
· My friends 
· My career 
· My ministry 
· My finances 

These are the “jewels” in my treasure. 

Tweet
 

Now What? 

Once your list of priorities done, there is that moment (at least for me) of “now what”? What is the next step? 

The next step is action statements followed by…you guessed it…ACTION! 

Action statements are like words of affirmation. These are little notes to yourself that allow you to hone your focus to surgical precision. 

Here is an example of a few of my Action Statements. (hint: all statements should prompt you to “do” something) 

Friends: I AM supportive, caring, and wise. I speak into my friends lives with love and honesty. I pray for my friends. I rejoice with them, I cry with them, and I hold a banner of love and safety over them. No matter the circumstances I (sometimes gently and sometimes with great passion) always point them back to Jesus. 

My Career as a Writer: I am a writer. I write every day. I write about Jesus, and I write about life. I write for myself and I write for others. I guest post on other blogs, I read constantly to hone my skills. I seek relationships that allow me to grow as a writer. First I seek mentors. Secondly, I seek to mentor. I give away my gift. I am a generous writer. I write to illuminate the solutions to life’s issues, not stir up strife or cause discord. I write as a career and as a ministry. 

These are just examples. Do you see how to write your Action Statement? It needs to be in first person present tense. Did I lose you? Ok then, just remember to write it with statements of action “I do” rather than “I will do”. 

Now go live those statements. Following the examples above it would look like this for me: when I hang with friends, I pray with them, support them, and love them. When I am at my desk, I don’t spend hours goofing off on games and Facebook. I actually write! 

Do the work! 

This is the map to your treasure, now you have to dig in and discover your best life now. Priorities are just one step on the treasure map but without them, you will never find the X that marks the spot for your treasure! 

Have you made your priorities list yet? Are there any differences that surprised you when you got done?