How do you action your top priorities?

August 28, 2025 Published by Sharee Johnson

What are your top priorities and how do you action them? 

Maybe one priority is to do work that is satisfying and fulfilling.
How do you measure such a priority? How do you know if you are succeeding? 
What is a satisfying or fulfilling work life?  What factors need to be present, and how often?

Derek Sivers said in a webinar recently, that the goal you are working on should provoke action.
If you are saying something like I should go back to the gym, or I should change my job and not actually taking any action, then it is not the right goal for you at this time. It’s not really your priority. He advises the goal that has you taking action, is the one to work on now.
And that it’s okay to put the others on the shelf for a later time.

So, what has you saying “YES”, what’s got so much energy in it that it propels you into action?

Like you, I have a lot of things on the table at this time of year.
I am in the very early stages of my next book, we have built and launched our international conference at Uluru, and the next phase of Recalibrate©, RecalibrateMax© inside our doctor community. We are onboarding doctors for Recalibrate© 2026, there is lots of coaching happening, I am immersed in a deep decluttering process at home, and I am advancing a new physical training program at the gym. Underlying everything is my commitment to spending IRL time with my important people.

The added bonus of knowing your priorities, is also becoming clearer about what to say no to.

There are two things you can do to get clear on your current priorities.

1. Write them down and make them public (use my questions below)
2. Create proximity to others of like mind

Who you spend time with is critical, especially when you are creating change in your life.  Entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn is famous for saying, we become the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If those five people are negative, we become more negative. If those five people have similar priorities to you, or even better, if you can be in close proximity to those who are a step or two ahead of you, you will be much more likely to progress your priorities. 

Researchers have tested these ideas. Minor and Housman found that working within a 25 feet radius of a high performer in a large tech firm boosted the performance of coworkers 15%. They also found that negative spill over is more powerful than positive spillover. In other words, negative behaviours have greater reach than positive behaviours do.

We underestimate the importance of the company we keep. The right influence helps you move your own dial, so choose intentionally. Surround yourself with positive, successful people. People who you want to be like, who challenge you to reach for your priority. Invest in each other, create a virtuous cycle around what truly matters to you.

Here’s three steps to help you progress your priorities

1. Choose one priority at a time, answer the following questions.
   1. What are you really willing to do to reach this goal – be specific? 
   2. How much are you willing to pay in time, money and effort to make sure you reach your goal? 
   3. Would you pay more (time, energy, money)  if it meant reaching the goal sooner?
      Like say within the next 6 months?  Would it be worth more to you to arrive sooner? In what way?
   4. What risks are you willing / not-willing to take?

2. Create a way to be in close proximity to those of like mind often
3. Take one action today in the direction of your priority.

Here’s an example from my life.

I wanted to increase my performance capacity. I knew that lifting my physical fitness and strength was a part of that, so I decided to work with a high performance coach. I paid a significant amount of money up front, turned up for hours of on demand modules and group coaching sessions, and rejoined the gym. I won’t bore you with all of the details.

What’s important to notice is that I gained clarity on my priority, what action I was willing to take and pay for, in time, effort and money, and I increased my chances of success, by joining a group who I met with regularly.

I know this is a long term process that will have motivational ebbs and flows, so I will need support for sure. Now I am connected to two communities who are helping me progress my goals, the high performance coach’s community and my local gym community. Having clarity and support for my priority has made my day to day decision making and action taking easy.

What are you giving your energy, attention and resources to? 
Deciding your priorities is an intentional process that invites responsibility and accountability.
This is your opportunity to fully embrace your autonomy and your agency.

When you review your behaviour and thinking what are you actually prioritising?
If there is a mismatch in what you say and what you do it’s an indication that you could do with some help.
What are you willing to invest, in order to create the life you say you want?

Reference: Kellogg Insight, from the Kellogg School of Management May 2017 
Sitting near a high-performer can make you better at your job.
Based on the work of Michael Housman and Dylan Minor

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Sharee Johnson is the Founder of Coaching for Doctors, Psychologist Coach, Author or The Thriving Doctor, Speaker.

The Thriving Doctor

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Sharee Johnson’s book The Thriving Doctor is available in all good bookstores or online.

Sharee has been coaching doctors since 2014, find out more about her work