Here’s something that happened at the end of a workshop last week in Spokane. It was an important reminder for me and I thought you might find it useful.

The woman who spoke has served as chair of the development committees at several organizations and has nine children.

"A year ago, I was busy doing all kinds of different things," she told us.

I’ve stopped and taken a look at where I am and what I am doing. And I realized that even though I was giving and doing a lot, I had too much going on.

After reading the book and being here over the last couple of days, I have a clearer sense of direction about what’s important and what I want to do. And with the clarity that I’ve gotten, I have one area — just one — that I want to focus on.

She paused, and then emphatically said, "Now, what I want to achieve will come to be. It will — it’s not a matter of if, it will."

I’m grateful to her for reminding me of how much can be gained by being clear about what’s important — and how saying no to some things can allow us (me!) to say yes to others.

If you’re anything like me, I’ll bet you can write up a "to-do" list on a Monday and it can still be perfectly good on Friday. As this woman spoke, I remembered that I figured out a long time ago that I could create a "not-to-do" list: What will I strip away or give less attention to?  That makes room for the most important.  I’ve done a good job of this in the past, and now I want to redouble my intent to free up enough of me to keep aiming higher.

Our friend in Spokane concluded, as if it were an aside, one that gained steam as she spoke,

My husband has always accused me of being a dreamer. This morning I said to him, I am a dreamer. That’s who I am. And there have been many great things that happened because of dreams.

Thanks for listening,

Jim