--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: criteria: “Is this the very most…" description: "\"“criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?”\" — Greg McKeown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png" --- # criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should… ![“criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?” quote by Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png) > ““criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?”” [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritize tasks by asking if they are the most important use of time and resources. **In simple terms:** Do only the most important things. Key Takeaway Apply the “most important” filter. Themes focus prioritization productivity Mood strategic calm Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - project planning - daily to‑do lists - budget allocation - career choices Key Concepts essentialism decision‑making time management Questions to Reflect On - What task truly moves you forward? - How do you say no to less‑essential requests? A Different Perspective Misidentifying importance can waste effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criteria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criteria/) [Criteria Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criteria-important-1888920/) [Doing Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-time-479728/) [Important thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-thing/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-resources-1333572/) ## Related quotes > [“Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/is-this-the-very-most-important-thing-i-should-be-doing-with-my-time/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [I don't agonize over decisions as much these days. The criteria of what's important to me is clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-don-t-agonize-over-decisions-as-much-these-days-the-criteria-of-2/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [“What you can do should never be limited by time, resources, and location.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/what-you-can-do-should-never-be-limited-by-time-resources-and-location/) [John Taskinsoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/) > [We always trade our time and resources for what we bring into our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/we-always-trade-our-time-and-resources-for-what-we-bring-into-our-life/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) > [I think a much better use of time and resources is to really focus on your existing users or customers and figure out what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-think-a-much-better-use-of-time-and-resources-is-to-really-focus-on/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Doing time is like climbing a mountain wearing roller skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/doing-time-is-like-climbing-a-mountain-wearing-roller-skates/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [The more time you spend talking about what you have been doing, the less time you have to do what you have been talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/the-more-time-you-spend-talking-about-what-you-have-been-doing-the/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [They don't pay no mind. If you're under 18, you won't be doing any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/offspring/they-don-t-pay-no-mind-if-you-re-under-18-you-won-t-be-doing-any-time/) [Offspring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/offspring/) > [The trouble with doing nothing is that you can never take any time off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoagy-carmichael/the-trouble-with-doing-nothing-is-that-you-can-never-take-any-time-off/) [Hoagy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoagy-carmichael/) > [“Virtue has come to consist of doing something in less time than someone else”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/virtue-has-come-to-consist-of-doing-something-in-less-time-than/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The more time you spend thinking, the less time you spend doing. The less time you spend doing, the more you watch others do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-mcclearn/the-more-time-you-spend-thinking-the-less-time-you-spend-doing-the/) [Beatrice McClearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-mcclearn/) > [“We’re never doing this again. The next time I leave, you’re coming with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/we-re-never-doing-this-again-the-next-time-i-leave-you-re-coming-with/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [I think in the Western world we have gotten overly identified with doing, and we've kind of forgotten about the art of being. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/i-think-in-the-western-world-we-have-gotten-overly-identified-with/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [If you're building a house, or doing anything, time is what you've got. Well, there's effort, but you need time. The more time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/if-you-re-building-a-house-or-doing-anything-time-is-what-you-ve-got/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I think if I pick the right thing to spend my time doing, then time moves differently, because I really can get fully immersed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-if-i-pick-the-right-thing-to-spend-my-time-doing-then-time/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) ## More by Greg McKeown > [If I didn’t already own this, how much would I spend to buy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/if-i-didn-t-already-own-this-how-much-would-i-spend-to-buy-it/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [The word priority was singular for 500 years—what does priorities mean—'many many first things.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-was-singular-for-500-years-what-does-priorities/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Sleep will enhance your ability to explore, make connections, and do less but better throughout your waking hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/sleep-will-enhance-your-ability-to-explore-make-connections-and-do/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Of course, nobody likes to be bored. But by abolishing any chance of being bored we have also lost the times we used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/of-course-nobody-likes-to-be-bored-but-by-abolishing-any-chance-of/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-came-into-the-english-language-in-the-1400s-it-was/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“while we may not always have control over our options, we always have control over how we choose among them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/while-we-may-not-always-have-control-over-our-options-we-always-have/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-word-priority-came-into-the-english-language-in-the-1400s-it-was-2/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/essentialism-is-not-about-how-to-get-more-things-done-it-s-about-how/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“the faintest pencil is better than the strongest memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/the-faintest-pencil-is-better-than-the-strongest-memory/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“I have since gathered data from more than five hundred individuals about their experience on more than one thousand teams. I asked them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-have-since-gathered-data-from-more-than-five-hundred-individuals/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [Take a deep breath. Get present in the moment and ask yourself what is important this very second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/take-a-deep-breath-get-present-in-the-moment-and-ask-yourself-what-is/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“Less but better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/less-but-better/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.”4”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/for-the-first-time-they-will-have-to-manage-themselves-and-society-is/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“I must apologize: if I had more time I would have written a shorter letter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/i-must-apologize-if-i-had-more-time-i-would-have-written-a-shorter/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“up in four predictable phases:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/up-in-four-predictable-phases/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) [Explore all 76 Greg McKeown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) ## More Criteria quotes > [The major caveat in all of comedy is that it's all instinctive. There's no true criteria. There is no right or wrong. Ultimately, often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-charles/the-major-caveat-in-all-of-comedy-is-that-it-s-all-instinctive-there/) [Larry Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-charles/) > [Every man will have his own criterion in forming his judgment of others. I depend very much on the effect of affliction. I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/every-man-will-have-his-own-criterion-in-forming-his-judgment-of/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [First of all the criteria that I have that goes into any career decision is whether or not I have the life experience, emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/first-of-all-the-criteria-that-i-have-that-goes-into-any-career/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [The criterion of true beauty is, that it increases in examination; of false, that it lessens. There is something, therefore, in true beauty that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grenville/the-criterion-of-true-beauty-is-that-it-increases-in-examination-of/) [George Grenville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grenville/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [As for the (Ballon d'Or) criteria, I'm not really sure how it works. Sometimes it's a World Cup year, sometimes it isn't. Let them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-villa/as-for-the-ballon-d-or-criteria-i-m-not-really-sure-how-it-works/) [David Villa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-villa/) > [As the number of unexplained, irreducibly complex biological systems increases, our confidence that Darwin's criterion of failure has been met skyrockets toward the maximum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-behe/as-the-number-of-unexplained-irreducibly-complex-biological-systems/) [Michael Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-behe/) > [“We need to give an informative set of criteria for the best explanation. It is very difficult to do so. Here are some factors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-emmering/we-need-to-give-an-informative-set-of-criteria-for-the-best/) [Michael E Emmering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-emmering/) > [It may be an extreme example brought about by abnormal circumstances - but the criteria of human rights kick in, surely, precisely when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breyten-breytenbach/it-may-be-an-extreme-example-brought-about-by-abnormal-circumstances/) [Breyten Breytenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breyten-breytenbach/) > [My inspiration comes from everywhere, just walking down the street and I never know where it's going to come from, so I keep a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/my-inspiration-comes-from-everywhere-just-walking-down-the-street-and/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [A work of art is itself an object, first of all, and so manipulation is unavoidable: it's a prerequisite. But I needed the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/a-work-of-art-is-itself-an-object-first-of-all-and-so-manipulation-is/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [The criteria or the paradigm for us is not the West, not the Western paradigm, because the West has its own culture, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-criteria-or-the-paradigm-for-us-is-not-the-west-not-the-western/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The fact that a theory so vague, so insufficiently verifiable, and so far from the criteria otherwise applied in 'hard' science has become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-bertalanffy/the-fact-that-a-theory-so-vague-so-insufficiently-verifiable-and-so/) [Ludwig von Bertalanffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-bertalanffy/) > [New Orleans invented the brown paper bag party - usually at a gathering in a home - where anyone darker than the bag attached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/new-orleans-invented-the-brown-paper-bag-party-usually-at-a-gathering/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) [Browse all 448 Criteria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criteria/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg McKeown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important-thing-i-should-be-doing-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criteria" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important-thing-i-should-be-doing-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/greg-mckeown-8740_criteria_criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important_1784185.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“criteria: “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?” — Greg McKeown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Greg McKeown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“criteria: “Is this the very most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important-thing-i-should-be-doing-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/criteria-is-this-the-very-most-important-thing-i-should-be-doing-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```