What matters most?
This valuable question helps fuel priorities and tame unruly expectations.
What matters most?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself a lot throughout my life, especially in light of my years as a hospice nurse.
Of course, the answer is different for everyone and evolves as we move through shifting seasons.
No one can decide what matters most to me except me.
And no one can decide what matters most to you except you.
A powerful tool
Asking and answering this critical question is a powerful tool to help us do all kinds of important things - like set priorities, make decisions, and give ourselves permission to follow our dreams.
Which is why it’s a question that pops up when I’m journaling and spending time in prayer.
Aware that I have many things I’d like to do and only so much time to do them - both within each 24 hours and my remaining time on this earth - I often find the need to spend time trimming my ambitious list so I can focus on that which is most realistic and aligns with things I’m passionate about.
When I’m doing this, here’s another question I add to sharpen my focus: “When I’m in my final moment prior to death, will I regret not having done this?”
Believe me, using those two questions together provides a lot of clarity!
For example, I used to belong to several organizations related to my writing business, and each had a different focus. While they all provided great resources, I didn’t always have time to make the most of them despite the fact that I was paying a membership fee.
So, when I saw the renewal coming up for my medically-focused writing organization a number of years ago - which was quite pricey - I asked myself those two questions in the context of what areas of my writing I wanted to use my limited time and energy to develop.
Suffice it to say that I decided when the Lord is about to call me home, I won’t regret not having spent the time, money, and energy to learn more about regulatory medical writing.
On the flip side, I would regret not finishing writing projects God has put on my heart and continuing to develop other areas of my writing that I’m passionate about.
There are more examples along similar lines than you can shake a stick at.
How about you?
So, what matters most to you in this season of your life?
And what might need attention to prevent regrets during your final moment?
They’re powerful questions and often have quite personal answers.
If you’d like to share, please do.
Or maybe call up a friend to have a little chat.
And remember God’s always available for that, too.
P.S. If you’d like to find out what 16 year-old Charlie Welks discovered during her final moment, please check out my debut novel of the same name.
Learn more here: Final Moment, by Sue Montgomery
P.S.S. And if you’d like to check out my recent Featured Author interview for ACFW’s FictionFinder, you can find that here: Interview with Sue Montgomery 2026
Sue, thank you for writing this article and sharing those two "Super Questions." Together, they're a really powerful combo. I'll admit to being an organized person (most of the time), and I've used the priority question most of my life. The great thing is that it can help no matter what messes you're dealing with. But for those of us who are becoming quite "mature" as the years quickly fly by, I think your second question is the perfect collaborative partner for #1. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. Great job!