The New Year’s Resolution
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster
January 19, 2018
I heard a question over the holiday that made me laugh. How can you have more than one priority? The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word priority as “something that is very important and must be dealt with before other things.”
As predicted by the writer who prompted me to think about the idea of a singular priority, the dictionary uses the following example: “You have to learn to get your priorities right/straight.”
The author I was reading was making a point that prior to the 20th century, people and organizations had a single priority. The word and concept were singular. The word “priority” took on a plural attribute in the 20th century. We got so busy trying to do two things at once and juggling three, four, or five balls at a time or spinning 5, 6, or 7 plates at once, we changed the meaning of the word and concept of a priority. We now have priorities.
Can one live and thrive in 2018 with only one priority? Admittedly, I am struggling with the thought. Yet, I see the wisdom in having just one priority. I see the advantage of putting full energy into one direction.
At the same time, I believe all things are connected. If an adult were to say, “My children are my priority,” I would understand that the person would do many things to support the children. But that would also mean taking care of himself or herself. It does not seem possible to make your children a priority if you are not well enough to attend to them. Therefore, as the airlines recommend to adults on flights, take care of yourself first before attending to your children.
This lead me to think about New Year’s Resolutions. You know, those promises people make in January and have forgotten by Martin Luther King Day. What if we were to have just one resolution? What if that resolution was our priority for the next 12 to 60 months? A five-year plan priority. Truth is, many families have hundred year plans for focusing on the health and well-being of their family members. So, we know it is possible.
I have been told by more than one person what my resolution should be this year. I’m not going to mention it because I’m not sure I am as committed to the idea as the people who want me to embrace it. It’s not that I’m worried about failing. No, it’s just a lack of commitment to that singular thing when there are so many other things that excite me. It appears I am stuck with others who have pluralized the concept of a priority.
How about you? How about your children? Do you know your priority for the second half of this school year?
Priorities, resolutions, and goals give us a map. Personal ambition and focus, friends, mentors, teachers, coaches, and supervisors can help keep us on the path to our desired result. If you have not set a plan for the coming months with your children, I encourage you to do so. Now is the time, and just one goal or resolution may be just enough.
Priorities, resolutions, and goals give us a map. Personal ambition and focus, friends, mentors, teachers, coaches, and supervisors can help keep us on the path to our desired result. If you have not set a plan for the coming months with your children, I encourage you to do so. Now is the time, and just one goal or resolution may be just enough.
Cheers!
Mike
Mike
