Colson Whitehead Quotes

First things first, second things never.

Learn to differentiate between what is truly important and what can be dealt with at another time.

Have more than one idea on the go at any one time. If it's a choice between writing a book and doing nothing I will always choose the latter. It's only if I have an idea for two books that I choose one rather than the other. I ­always have to feel that I'm bunking off from something.

Goals help you keep in perspective what's really important so you don't spend all of your time doing what seems urgent.

As in all things, it is terribly important to have a sense of priorities in what you do. And to make certain that priorities do not clash.

Person who chases two rabbits catches neither.

The easiest thing to do in the world is to neglect the important and give in to the urgent.

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.

You don't need more time in your day. You need to decide.

Focusing is about saying No.

As all entrepreneurs know, you live and die by your ability to prioritize. You must focus on the most important, mission-critical tasks each day and night, and then share, delegate, delay or skip the rest.

I am a great procrastinator. When the writing is going really well, the laundry piles up.

There just isn't enough time for everything on our 'to do' list - and there never will be. Successful people don't try to do everything. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure they get done.

Perhaps the very best question that you can memorize and repeat, over and over, is, 'what is the most valuable use of my time right now?'

You have to ruthlessly prioritize.

Do one thing at a time. Start the day with a list of things you have to do, and do the most important things first. Even if you don't get the list done, you've gotten the most important things done. So many people spend so much time on things that aren't important.

I can multitask very well. But I know exactly when to block off anything coming in from the outside and just stay focused on the film.

Efficiency, which is doing things right, is irrelevant until you work on the right things.

Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things.

Your ability to select your most important task at each moment, and then to get started on that task and to get it done both quickly and well, will probably have more of an impact on your success than any other quality or skill you can develop.

Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing.

He that pursues two hares at once, does not catch one and lets the other go.

You can do only one thing at a time. I simply tackle one problem and concentrate all efforts on what I am doing at the moment.

Cecil's dispatch of business was extraordinary, his maxim being, "The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once."

I'm always working on something. I wish I had more time for free-thinking and brainstorming new ideas. That's not to say my mind doesn't wander, but I find myself wishing for more of that kind of time.