You decide which path to take.
Are your preferences in conflict with your priorities? Are you making progress towards achieving your goals and aspirations? Or do you feel that what you want is always out of your reach? Maybe it’s time to understand the different choices involved. Decisions you make about what you would prefer to do can have a negative impact on the things that really matter in your life.
Priority is considered a prime concern – the primary issue. It is the thing of most important consideration. It takes precedence over other things, as it is of greater importance. A priority might be paying the mortgage before you spend the money on a vacation.
A preference is something you like better. You would rather have that particular thing. It’s something you are partial to or that you favor. It’s something you would choose over other things; a first choice. A preference is a liking, bias, taste and fondness. It is a favorite. A preference may be something as simple as chocolate ice cream.
Often we make choices based on our preferences rather than our priorities. This may not be a good idea! What if your priority is to lose ten pounds….and your preference is to eat pizza and sit on the sofa watching movies? Your preferences would sabotage your priority! Your subconscious programming and desires can get in the way of achieving your conscious goals.
If you preferred to eat more fuel than you could consume, your body has stored it away for you. Now you’ve got an extra ten pounds to carry around. The reason this happened is that you made choices based on your preferences. And now you would prefer to lose those ten pounds! Until it becomes a priority, it won’t happen. You must make a choice to focus on your priority now. Changing your preferences isn’t easy. It’s not like you get to choose between cheese or pepperoni pizza…now you have to choose something other than pizza …something like grilled chicken! And you feel deprived. Feeling deprived may even cause you to forget all about your priorities and indulge in the comfort of that pizza…your preference in the moment. It can become a vicious cycle where none of your needs are met.
One of the ways you can become more conscious of your actions is to simply ask yourself this question… What matters most?
Perhaps you need to continue to ask…
Does this choice serve my best interests? Does it help me to move closer to achieving my goal? What takes precedence? Is it the momentary pleasure of eating the pizza? Or is it the end result of mastering my weight? Is my health and fitness more important than the fondness for the flavor? What choice will make me feel more confident and in control?
Preferences and priorities can create difficulties in all aspects of our lives. It becomes a control issue. What is controlling your choices? Your preferences or your priorities? Marriage may be a priority but our preferences may lead us to make choices which jeopardize our marriage. We may desire financial stability and set a priority to save money, but our fondness for fine dining, travel, or designer clothes stops us from doing so. Graduating from college is only accomplished when priorities overcome preferences. Building a successful career requires making conscious choices based on the most important considerations.
When faced with a decision between conflicting desires, it is always in your best interest to take the time to consider which decision serves your priority. You can be faced with many appealing opportunities, some of which may be entertaining but send you in the wrong direction. You are creating your life with your thoughts and your actions. Focus your thoughts on your goals and aspirations which propel you forward to success. Make your self and your life a priority. Choose what matters most! You have the power to make the choice right now in the moment.
Your life is a series of moments. Each moment gives you the opportunity to focus on the choice which matters most. When you live your life aligned with what is important to you, your priority becomes your preference. It all works together to serve you. You actually get both at the same time. All your needs are met. All your desires are fulfilled. Sweet!