90 Days Later

Let’s re-prioritize our lives.  I began my summer with a pledge to complete a 90-Day Challenge. My goal was to bridge the gap between what I say and what I do. Summer of 2025 was my opportunity to:

Say Less and Do More.

Less talk opened up space for more action. I started by creating a list of all the things I talked about doing that were yet undone. Each item on the list felt like a broken promise waiting to be honored and fulfilled.

I committed to nothing new until I finished the old – including writing a new blog each week. In pursuit of a goal, I was quick to say NO. I wanted to finish the list more than I wanted new opportunities. Saying NO was smart math. I wouldn’t be done by the deadline if I kept adding to my list.

My list was my sole summer focus. I loved the dopamine high of checking items off a list. Every checkmark represented a WIN, and I greatly enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment. 

90 Days Later, I have crossed every item off my list – except one. My one undone check feels like a failure. And let’s be honest, it is. Instead of the thrill of victory, I learned a hard lesson about priorities. 

There’s always a message in messing up. I learned more from that one unfinished checkmark than I gained from my daily dozen of completed items. 

The Power of Priorities

About three weeks ago, I finished everything on my list except that one item. I thought I would feel a huge sense of accomplishment with victory being so close. Instead, I felt empty.

Upon closer inspection of my list, I identified the problem. Most everything on my list was focused on ME – my growth, my life, my wants, and my needs. I didn’t include any US. I saw it clearly for the first time:

 The rise of me became the decline of us.

I had said NO to people and YES to productivity. My bank account grew as my relationships suffered. And it wasn’t just me. I saw this clearly in the 90-Day Checklists of my friends who joined the 90-Day Challenge. We all felt the pain of realizing: We had everything on our list – except each other. 

This started a series of real and raw conversations. Together, we learned:

What you leave off your checklist can be more telling than what you put on your checklist. 

It helps to double-check:

Does your checklist contain everything that is important to you?

A friend of mine couldn’t believe they left their loved ones off their list. That was a wake-up call! 

Another friend upended their entire career after realizing they left everything about their current job off the list. They didn’t start the summer planning to change jobs, but they ended the summer employed in much more fulfilling work.

Another friend abandoned the 90-Day Challenge completely and felt great about their choice. They said:

 If my list doesn’t reflect who I want to be in life, it’s not a list I want to finish. 

The 90-Day Challenge turned out to be a lesson in priorities and values. I learned how I show up on a list is less important to me than how I show up for others. 

Being Valued means living your values. If you’re going to do a 90-day challenge, be sure your list includes everything you value.

Together, let’s re-prioritize our lives. Let’s align our actions with what matters the most.