What is most important might not be most important given current conditions

The simplest strategy each day is to begin your next highest priority task, barricade yourself until it is done, and repeat. But often, you’ll have to adjust from this ideal.

Always doing what is most important is the simplest but not the best strategy for achieving the greatest outcomes. To advance productivity beyond this level, one must remain aware of and take advantage of unforeseen circumstances during execution.

Shifting circumstances can reveal an unforeseen advantage or opportunity:¹ a convenience not previously expected, something that becomes very easy along the way to something else, a swell of positive emotion, a surplus of energy, and so on. Shifting circumstances can also be negative: an inconvenience not previously expected, something that becomes much harder as you proceed, a swell of negative emotion, a drop in energy, and the like.

Circumstances are always shifting. We ought to be resilient against these shifts when they directly contradict our intent, but also leverage them when they have the capacity to forward our intent. Like wind for a sailboat, we can posture ourselves both to contend with and leverage the shifting circumstances.

Achieve maximal productivity through flexible execution of the highest priority. When you face shifting conditions, ask yourself: “What can I do right now that would yield the greatest progress towards my goals?”

Your prioritized list will help you respond and fill in the gaps in a way that still generates the highest possible impact. It’s much easier to simply move down your list rather than need to think about them from scratch.