--- title: Focus on the Few Things That Actually Matter | The Sales Blog description: In a list of prospective clients you can spend your time pursuing, a few of them are more worth your time than all the rest combined. You may need to reach out to all of them, but it makes sense to start with those few that matter. The hundreds of emails in your inbox all […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_1217439550.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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You may need to reach out to all of them, but it makes sense to start with [those few that matter](http://thesalesblog.com/2012/01/01/to-be-really-effective-pick-three-tasks-per-day/). The hundreds of emails in your inbox all need to be processed, but only a small portion of them are in some way related to your goals. The messages that will produce the outcomes that move you closer to what you want deserves your attention. A dashboard with [dozens of metrics](http://thesalesblog.com/2019/01/13/a-set-of-personal-metrics/) can make it seem as if everything is important, the number of phone calls, the number of emails, the client meetings, and the average size of a deal by product category. While all of these metrics are useful, none of them speak to whether or not your dream client is engaged with you around a project to improve their results—and whether they are making and keeping the commitments that move their project forward. You have limited time during your workday. If you are like most people, you have more work than you can effectively complete in a day, a week, a month, a quarter, and in some cases, a year. Because this is true, one of the primary variables in performance is the ability to ruthlessly [prioritize your work](http://thesalesblog.com/2014/05/07/ruthlessly-prioritize/) based on a values-based hierarchy. Those things that belong to others and find their way to your desk need to be [returned to their rightful owners](http://thesalesblog.com/2014/10/03/choosing-to-compete-for-transactions-or-relationships/). You must push trivialities and distractions to the bottom of that value-based hierarchy. The top of your hierarchy must include what is most important by the impact it has on your goals. The greater the impact, the more that work deserves your time and focus. If the work you are considering is going to have little effect on the outcomes you are pursuing, it may require your attention, but it can’t be allowed to crowd out the few things that matter. If you want help with priorities, check out b2bsalestoolkit.com ###### Tags: [Productivity](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/productivity) [2019](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2019) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on January 13, 2019 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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The big stuff. The stuff that moves you toward accomplishing your biggest, most important goals. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-09-17T2:36:28 PM", "datePublished" : "2019-01-13 09:36:33", "description" : "In a list of prospective clients you can spend your time pursuing, a few of them are more worth your time than all the rest combined. You may need to reach out to all of them, but it makes sense to start with those few that matter. 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