“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
This simple yet profound statement comes from Stephen Covey, a renowned author and leadership expert. Covey is best known for his groundbreaking book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This particular quote captures the essence of his third habit: “Put First Things First.” It serves as a powerful reminder in a world filled with distractions. Source
At its core, the quote is a call for clarity and focus. It urges us to identify our most critical priorities. Then, we must dedicate our time, energy, and resources to those priorities above all else. The “main thing” is not a universal constant; it is deeply personal. For one person, it might be family. For another, it could be a career milestone or personal health. The principle, however, remains the same. You must first define what truly matters before you can pursue it effectively.
The Challenge: Why We Lose Focus
Understanding the principle is easy. Consistently applying it, however, proves much more difficult. Many factors conspire to pull our attention away from our primary goals. Digital notifications, endless emails, and the constant pressure to multitask create a state of perpetual distraction. We often get caught in what experts call the “urgency trap.” This is where we spend our days reacting to urgent but unimportant tasks. For example, we might answer every email immediately instead of working on a critical long-term project.
This reactive behavior gives the illusion of productivity. We feel busy, but we are not necessarily effective. Consequently, our most important goals—the ones that deliver long-term value and fulfillment—get pushed aside. We mistake motion for progress. The quote challenges us to break this cycle. It forces us to pause and ask a critical question: Is what I am doing right now helping me achieve my main thing?
Putting First Things First: A Practical Framework
Covey didn’t just offer a catchy phrase; he provided a practical system for implementation. The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool that directly supports this idea. It helps you categorize tasks into four quadrants based on their urgency and importance.
- Urgent and Important: Crises and deadlines. You must handle these tasks immediately.
- Not Urgent and Important: Planning, relationship-building, and prevention. This is where you should focus your time to be truly effective.
- Urgent and Not Important: Interruptions, some meetings, and many emails. You should delegate or minimize these tasks.
- Not Urgent and Not Important: Trivial tasks and time-wasters. You should eliminate these activities.
By categorizing tasks this way, you can clearly see where your energy should go. Most people spend too much time in the urgent quadrants. In contrast, highly effective people consciously allocate more time to the “Not Urgent and Important” quadrant. This is how you keep the main thing the main thing.
How to Define and Protect Your “Main Thing”
Applying this wisdom requires discipline and intention. It starts with deep reflection to define your core values and long-term goals. Once you know your “main thing,” you can use several strategies to protect your focus and align your daily actions with your priorities.
First, learn the power of saying “no.” Every time you say yes to a request, you are implicitly saying no to something else. Saying no to non-essential tasks frees up your capacity for what truly matters. It is not about being unhelpful; it is about being strategic with your limited resources.
Additionally, you can use time blocking. This technique involves scheduling specific blocks of time in your calendar for your most important tasks. During these blocks, you eliminate all distractions. You turn off notifications and focus solely on that one activity. This proactive approach ensures that your priorities get the dedicated attention they deserve, rather than just the leftover time in your day.
Ultimately, living by this quote is a continuous practice. It requires regular review and realignment. By consistently asking yourself what the main thing is and focusing your efforts there, you can achieve greater results and lead a more fulfilling life. It is a simple concept that delivers powerful, life-changing outcomes.