“What Matters Most” Exercise
The “what matters most” exercise is a simple way to connect your days to what you truly care about. Instead of only reacting to tasks and notifications, you pause and ask what is actually important to you. This what matters most exercise helps you link your values, your goals, and your weekly priorities so your time feels more intentional.
Step 1: Name Your Core Values in Plain English
Values are the things that matter most to you in life. They are guiding ideas, like “family,” “learning,” or “stability,” not specific tasks. To find a few values:
Ask, “What do I want my life to stand for?”
Think about times you felt proud of yourself. What quality was present?
Choose 3–5 words that feel right, such as “health,” “friendship,” “creativity,” “service,” or “growth.”
Write these values somewhere you can see them.
Step 2: Turn Values into Simple Goals
Next, connect each value to a clear, realistic goal. This step turns big ideas into something you can work toward.
Examples:
Value: “Health” → Goal: “Walk 20 minutes, 3 times a week.”
Value: “Family” → Goal: “Have one distraction-free meal with family each week.”
Value: “Growth” → Goal: “Finish one online course in 3 months.”
You do not need goals for every value at once. Start with one or two that feel most important right now.
Step 3: Turn Goals into Weekly Priorities
Weekly priorities are the key actions you commit to in the coming week. They are closer to your calendar and to-do list. For each chosen goal, ask, “What is one step I can take this week?”
Examples:
Health goal → Weekly priority: “Schedule three walks in my calendar for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.”
Family goal → Weekly priority: “Plan a phone-free dinner on Sunday night.”
Growth goal → Weekly priority: “Watch one lesson from my course on Wednesday evening.”
Keep your list of weekly priorities short. Aim for 3–5 total.
Step 4: Review and Adjust Gently
At the end of the week:
Check which priorities you completed.
Notice where your time went instead of judging yourself.
Ask, “Do these priorities still match my values and goals?”
Adjust next week’s list based on what actually fits your life.
Over time, this what matters most exercise helps your schedule reflect who you want to be, not just what shows up in your inbox.
Takeaway
The “what matters most” exercise connects values → goals → weekly priorities in a simple, step-by-step way. By naming what you care about, turning it into clear goals, and choosing a few weekly priorities, you make it easier for your daily actions to match your deeper priorities. Start with just one value, one goal, and one weekly priority, and build from there.
