I recently read The Trust Edge by David Horsager and I want to share with you an amazingly simple but powerful concept that may be helpful to you.   If you want to ensure you’re accomplishing what is important and that you’re not simply responding to the urgent demands of life you may want to try the Difference Making Actions Strategy.

The DMA Strategy:
1. First thing every morning, take a sticky note.
2. At the top write your most important current goal.
3. Then write the numbers 1-3 down the page.
4. Next to the 1.   Write the most important thing you could do today to accomplish that goal. Then write the next most important things under 2 and 3.
5. You now have a list of the 3 most important things you could to today that would make the biggest difference in accomplishing your goal and fulfilling your organization’s mission.  (p. 196)

Horsager notes that “32% of American workers never plan their daily agenda”  (2009 Day Timer Survey).  He presents these guidelines when writing your DMA’s,:

Focused.  Your DMA’s are the most important actions for the
day – you shouldn’t have any more than three. If you can’t boil
them down to a few simply stated tasks, then you probably
need to narrow your most important goal.

Clear and quantifiable.  The focus here is on activities, not
outcomes, so know exactly what you are going to do. “ Make
ten sales calls or “Spend two hours on the proposal” is much
better than “Sell more” or “Work on the proposal.”

Realistic.  Your DMA’s will not be effective if you can’t actually
do them.  Don’t write down that you would like to write five
proposals in one day when you can only realistically get
through two.  (p. 197)

“Now that you have them, build your day around them. Make sure you prioritize them over all other, meetings, emails, and less important tasks.  I hope to have my DMA’s accomplished by lunchtime so I complete them before everything else. Then I can respond to other things that come up, but I first did something important that will make a significant impact on my organization and the lives of those we serve. ”  (p. 197)

This is helpful advice to  ensure that you are focusing on what is important.  As Jim Collins warns us, “Good is the enemy of great.”   The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.   May you follow the wisdom of the Psalmist and realize the importance of seeking after one thing,

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.  (Psalm 27:4)

RickAssociate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5