If you have a choice each day in the tasks that you face, a choice between doing what is urgent and doing what is important, which do you choose?

Many of us, I fall into this trap at times still myself, find we're spinning our wheels, or chasing rabbits, or putting out fires, or whatever your favorite metaphor is for being too busy and can never seem to get the time to do the things that we know we should be, could be doing.

Listen.

No one ever got ahead in life, or became successful, by just doing the urgent things.

No one.

It just doesn't happen.

The people who get ahead in life, the people who realize their goals, and achieve the things they want in their life, all have this trait in common.

They do what is important.

They do what is important even though it means putting off at least some of the things that are urgent, or seem urgent.

First it's important to realize what are the things in your life, work, relationships, that are truly urgent, and the difference between them and those things that make a lot of noise, or that we choose to worry about, and place too much urgency on getting them done.

Sometimes those things are just life, just living, doing our daily routines.

Not too long ago I set aside one day.

I decided that I would do nothing 'urgent.'

Nothing.

It wasn't really easy, let me tell you.

There were those emails, those little life things that kept creeping in, trying to distract me.

But I just kept thinking.

"Today is an important day."

Wow, what a day I had.

I accomplished more in that day than I had done in several days prior, nothing fell apart because I didn't do it that day, and I felt great about my day and myself.

Now I set aside time to do the important things.

Another thing I do is create an urgency for doing them.

This has a major, multiplying effect as well.

You'll see that less and less of the so-called urgent things are popping up.

By doing the important things, many of what used to be urgent things are no longer issues. Why? Because I'm ahead of the game.

Take the time to do what you know is key to your success, development, and growth.

Try it.

Pick one day, or part of a day if that's too much for you at first.

And have an "important day."

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: http://www.PowerMeUp.com Personal and Professional Growth