In Born for This, Chris Guillebeau tells us that, according to legend, Warren Buffet once gave a struggling friend a three steps process for setting goals. Here’s the quick look.

1. Start by writing down 25 things you’d like to do in your life.
2. Circle the Top 5 goals.
3. Throw away the other 20 goals and focus on tasks that relate to the Top 5.

As Chris says: “The principle is that you can’t work hard on 25 important things at once. You might think that the other 20 are still important, just not as important as the top five. But no — Buffett’s advice is to run away from the non-circled items as fast as you can. By choosing only five life goals, you’ll be far more invested in achieving them.”

I feel this is an important exercise for all industries and especially the faith community that I have been part of all of my life. Everything cannot be urgent and equally important at the same time. Nothing becomes urgent and important when we do this. I am not good at everything, but I am good at a few things. Therefore, I have vested myself in the disciplines and financial investments to become better on a daily basis. Greatness is not achieved with FREE – “I will not give unto the Lord anything that costs me nothing.”

When I have clarity in my life, energy, family, and service goals come into view. When I am the clearest in these three areas, I find that I am the most effective with others in my sphere of influence. Become clear in the things that fire passion in your heart. What is it that you would pay to do because you are that passionate?