This is a passage from a ​book​ of life wisdom written by two business and political strategists in 2002:

A lion is fully capable of capturing, killing, and eating a field mouse.

But it turns out that the energy required to do so exceeds the caloric content of the mouse itself. So a lion that spent its day hunting and eating field mice would slowly starve to death.

A lion can’t live on field mice. A lion needs antelope. Antelope are big animals. They take more speed and strength to capture and kill, and once killed, they provide a feast for the lion and her pride. A lion can live a long and happy life on a diet of antelope.

The distinction is important.

Imagine yourself as the lion. Every single day, you have a choice.

You can:

1. Chase field mice; or
2. Hunt antelope

The choice is an important one because the way you choose to deploy your precious, finite time and attention will determine your outcomes.

The lion who chases field mice will struggle:

• The activity itself has a negative net caloric impact. Calories spent exceed calories earned.
• The opportunity cost of the activity is extremely high. Every second allocated towards the field mice means missing out on the benefits of hunting an antelope.

This is, of course, a metaphor for your life—both professional and personal.

Just like the lion, every single day, you have the same choice:

You can:

1. Chase field mice. The small, urgent problems and opportunities that run around your field of vision. They pull at your attention as they dance tantalizingly within view.
2. Hunt antelope. The big, important problems and opportunities that require a much more methodical, thoughtful approach. They hide from view. They’re challenging to track down.

This is, in broad sense, the most common struggle we all face.

I’ve been there. I’ve fallen into this trap more times than I can count. I’d finish the day drained and frustrated, realizing I’d poured all my energy into a pile of small, urgent tasks and shiny opportunities that didn’t really move the needle.

It’s particularly tough because it rarely feels like you’re chasing field mice in the moment. You’re busy. You’re active. And in a culture that celebrates busyness as success, it‘s easy to convince yourself that you’re making progress.

But busy doesn’t mean effective. Motion isn’t momentum. A rocking horse moves all day, but never goes anywhere.

So, a big picture reflection question to ask yourself today:

Are you hunting antelope or chasing field mice?

Are you focusing on the big, important things that provide sufficient reward for your energy? Or are you too busy chasing tiny wins that won’t move the needle?

How can you shift your attention and focus away from the field mice and toward the antelope? What would you need to automate, delegate, or delete in order to free up that headspace to do so?

The lion that chases mice will starve. The lion that hunts antelope will thrive.

What are you hunting today?

Note: This is an excerpt derived from ​The 5 Types of Wealth Life Planner​, which will be released in exactly two weeks. The interactive companion to my New York Times bestselling book guides the reader through exercises, reflections, and prompts to design and build their wealthiest life. ​Preorder a copy​ and reply to this email with your receipt to be included in a series of virtual life planning workshops I’ll host in November and December.