Your essential intent

Each day we get to choose what we focus on. But, as Greg McKeown asks us in Essentialism, a book I have felt compelled to reread recently, "Are you majoring in minor activity?"

Doing the things that will make a difference in your life - and your work - and doing it deeply, means you have to say 'No' to more things than you say 'Yes' to. And that can be tough.

But it is made easier if we have what McKeown calls an essential intent - something that "is both inspirational and concrete, both meaningful and measurable".

This makes our choices simpler and answers the poet Mary Oliver's captivating question.

I believe this question is already on a lot of people's minds as we come out of a crazy couple of years and look to the next. It is a valuable conversation to have with yourself and those around you. ONE THING to spend time on over the festive season.