Imagine spending hours working out, giving it your all, only to step on the scale and see no change. You’re putting in the effort, but it’s not getting you the results you want. Sometimes, the same thing happens in work and life. It’s not about working harder but about focusing on the right things. What got you here won’t always take you to the next level. In this blog post, let’s talk about how to reassess your priorities for growth and success.

When people think of growth, myself included, we often think about having more responsibilities or tasks. After all, isn’t that what usually happens when people grow and step out of their comfort zones?

The reality is, growth isn’t just about adding more tasks. It is about reassessing what truly matters. Reassessing priorities involves letting go of our outdated beliefs and opinions about things in our lives.

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In Adam Grant’s Think Again (this is a paid link), my first book to finish reading this year, the most successful people do not just learn. They also know how and when to unlearn their beliefs and rethink their priorities.

Why We Struggle to Reassess Priorities

In Adam Grant’s Think Again, people, like myself, often fall into the preacher, prosecutor, or politician trap. We either preach our beliefs, defend our past choices, or seek approval instead of embracing how scientist mode works. Scientists test and revise their hypotheses as new information comes in.

The Comfort of Familiarity

Surely, there’s a reason why comfort zones are called as such. We feel safe in this controlled and familiar area. However, comfort zones can be dangerous. Sticking to old priorities, goals, and beliefs is a trap.

It’s a trap that limits our full potential.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

It’s hard to let go of something we’ve invested so much time and effort in. It could be a relationship, a certain activity, or even a belief system. After all, we’ve already invested our time and feel committed enough to continue, even if it is no longer serving us.

Societal and External Pressures

Our behaviors, beliefs, and goals are often heavily shaped by the environment we are in. As we shape our career paths, we often chase goals that may look good to others but do not necessarily align with our priorities.

Productivity Overload

We confuse being busy with being productive and effective. When we fall into this trap, we tend to embrace more tasks and responsibilities than we can realistically handle. This can later lead to burnout, procrastination, or even poor mental and physical health.

Signs It’s Time to Rethink Your Priorities

When I first heard of Adam Grant’s Think Again, I became instantly curious. For someone who has embraced a lot of past hurts and beliefs, this book has changed my life for the better.

There are several signs that can tell us when it is the right time to rethink our priorities:

• You feel drained instead of fulfilled by what you’re working on.
• You’re making progress but not towards something meaningful to you.
• You feel stuck, unmotivated, or resistant to the things you once enjoyed.
• Your personal growth and well-being are taking a backseat.
• You no longer resonate with your past goals or values.

As we grow older, we often discover our identities tied to certain beliefs or goals. When we commit ourselves to certain beliefs, opinions, or even a specific career, we suffer from what Adam Grant describes as ‘identity foreclosure.’ We tend to limit our paths too early and refuse to change simply because we have already tied our identity to these.

Humor me with this simple reflection exercise:
When was the last time you questioned why you’re pursuing certain goals?

How to Rethink Priorities

1. Reflect on What Truly Matters. Instead of focusing on what you should care about, take time to identify what genuinely matters to you. Take time to understand how to reassess your priorities. This is something I’ve had to learn firsthand. When I was juggling multiple responsibilities, I assumed being busy meant being successful. But burnout made me realize that being busy isn’t the same as making progress. Ask yourself:

• What activities energize me versus drain me?
• What am I pursuing out of obligation rather than passion?
• Am I chasing goals that no longer align with the person I want to become?

One of my biggest takeaways from Think Again is that high achievers don’t just set goals instead they challenge them. 

Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve?” ask, “Who do I want to become?” 

This shift in mindset allows you to focus on long-term fulfillment rather than short-term accomplishments. To apply this, take a moment to evaluate your current pursuits. Are they leading you toward becoming the person you truly want to be, or are they simply tasks you feel obligated to complete?

2. Audit Your Current Priorities. We often operate on autopilot, thinking we have to keep up with everything we’ve committed to. But have you ever stepped back and asked, Is this still working for me? I’ve found that some of the things I once prioritized no longer fit into the bigger picture of what I want. To audit your priorities, consider:

• If you had to drop three things from your plate today, what would they be?
• Are you spending time on what brings real growth, or just what feels urgent?

Another lesson from Think Again is that questioning past decisions isn’t a sign of weakness. It is, in fact, a sign of growth. The best leaders and professionals rethink their strategies when new data emerges. 

To put this into action, schedule regular “priority check-ins” with yourself. Set aside time monthly or quarterly to reassess whether your commitments still serve your personal and professional growth.

3. Identify What Needs to Change Growth requires making hard choices. I’ve had to make peace with letting go of projects I once thought were essential, only to realize they were holding me back. If something is no longer serving you, it’s time to reassess:

• Stop: What’s draining your time and energy without adding value?
• Start: What new habits or goals align with your growth?
• Continue: What’s still meaningful and worth investing in?

A key insight from Think Again is the concept of “confident humility”. The balance between knowing what you know and being open to learning more. It’s easy to cling to past choices because they once made sense, but true growth comes from recognizing when a change is needed. 

Try writing down one outdated belief, habit, or goal that may be limiting you. Then, challenge yourself to explore a new perspective or alternative path.

4. Make Space for What Matters .Rethinking priorities isn’t just about figuring out what’s important—it’s about creating room for those things. A crucial step in how to reassess our priorities is knowing when and how to make space for what truly matters. I’ve had to learn that saying no is just as important as saying yes. Let go of outdated commitments and give yourself permission to prioritize what truly moves the needle.

• Shift from “doing more” to focusing on what brings lasting value.
• Prioritize tasks that contribute to long-term success, not just short-term busyness.

One of the most powerful messages from Think Again is that successful people embrace being wrong because it means they’re learning. Being willing to rethink your priorities is the secret to long-term growth. 

The next time you hesitate to change direction, remind yourself that adjusting your priorities isn’t a failure. It’s a strategy for success. 

Make it a habit to review your commitments and eliminate anything that no longer aligns with your vision.

The Growth Mindset Shift

Priorities aren’t fixed. They evolve as you grow. Learning to let go isn’t failure; it’s a sign of progress. Learning how to reassess our priorities is part of growing. The most successful people aren’t those who do everything but those who choose wisely.

Think Again teaches us how to unlearn our past beliefs and let go our priorities. Much like a scientist who changes their opinions based on new information.

Final Thought 

Reassessing your priorities isn’t about giving up. It’s about making space for what truly matters. The question isn’t just “Am I making progress?” but “Am I making progress in the right direction?” This is just one of the many ways we can answer the question, “how to reassess your priorities?”. Remember to use this as inspiration but take each step and milestone as your own.