Balancing Passions: How to Prioritise and Achieve Your Goals

“A man who limits his interests limits his life.” Vincent Price

As a kid, I was always running around, climbing, and misbehaving, much to the dismay of my parents and teachers. Although I calmed down in my teenage years, my mind remained restless, constantly craving stimuli. I find it difficult to stay idle, always reaching for my phone to read or take notes whenever I have a moment to spare.

I have many interests, and if I pursued them all, I would become overburdened. Over time, I’ve learned to manage these interests effectively. Here’s a six-step method I developed to indulge in my interests while staying focused and productive.

Identify your must-haves

First, define the activities that are most important in your life right now. These are the core activities that shape the life you want. They can include spending time with family and friends, exercising, reading, listening to music, and traveling. You should also include activities that foster personal growth, like learning new skills, advancing your career, or starting a side business. These must-haves are crucial and deserve your full focus. Write them down in a list.

Determine your nice-to-haves

Next, identify activities that you enjoy but are not essential. These are your hobbies or interests that provide entertainment or satisfy your curiosity, like watching movies, playing games, or reading fiction. Write these nice-to-have activities on a second list.

Clear the clutter

Our brains constantly seek stimulation, and modern society provides plenty of distractions through app notifications, news, emails, and texts. These distractions lead to procrastination. To focus on your must-haves and nice-to-haves, you need to eliminate unnecessary activities. Ask yourself:

What activities do you do out of habit but don’t enjoy?

What tasks do you feel obligated to do but that aren’t important to you?

What are your typical procrastination activities?

Common examples include watching the news, checking social media, and mindlessly watching TV. Create a third list of these activities, and aim to stop or reduce them. Keep this list as a reminder to avoid time-wasting activities.

Create a one-page plan

With your three lists in hand, create a weekly plan that includes your must-have and nice-to-have activities. Allocate specific amounts of time to each activity, daily or weekly, ensuring your must-haves receive more substantial time. If the allocation seems off, revisit steps 1 and 2 to clarify priorities.

Track and adjust

Follow your weekly plan and track how much time you spend on each activity. At the end of the week, review your progress.

Did you stick to your plan?

Did you spend more time on certain activities?

Did you avoid cluttering activities?

Based on your findings, adjust your plan, reallocating time as necessary, and recommitting to clearing clutter.

Experiment, explore, and shuffle

Your plan is not static. Feel free to shuffle activities around and add new ones as you explore your interests. Experiment with different activities to learn what truly brings you fulfillment. Over time, as your interests and goals evolve, update your plan regularly, typically once a month.

Have fun

Although this process might seem regimented, it doesn’t have to be. Once you’re comfortable with your plan, you can minimise the need for constant planning. A plan helps you stay focused and prevents feeling overwhelmed.

I’m not a natural planner, but tracking my activities and keeping my life within set bounds has brought more benefits than the inconvenience of planning. A clear weekly plan for must-haves and nice-to-haves driven by daily habits keeps me organised without feeling restricted.

Take ownership of the process and adapt it to fit your life. As long as you’re clear on what you want and committed to exploring new activities, do what excites and fulfils you.
Following this six-step system has required me to temporarily drop some beloved activities in favour of more important ones. For instance, I now listen to podcasts during my commute for personal growth instead of music. I read more non-fiction than fiction, even though I love fantasy and science fiction. I have decreased my duration of video game play, but it remains on my “nice-to-have” list—I am a gamer at heart!”

In short, I’ve made choices that make me happy. I feel excited knowing my activities will change over time. I can enjoy the journey, indulge in my interests, and feed my mind without feeling like I’m missing out. The main difference now is that I’m in control. I’ve learned to regulate my life to feel more relaxed and focused.
My mind thanks me, and so does my wife.