Hi everyone-

Recently, I was supposed to go to Utah for a YPO event. For those familiar with YPO, I was supposed to be joining a new, industry specific forum. We'd been planning for a few months and this was supposed to be our first meeting. The meeting was supposed to take place in Salt Lake City.

However, in the weeks leading up to the trip, I had been battling some kind of illness. I had already gone through a round of antibiotics, which didn't take care of the problem, and I had just begun 3 new medications before I was set to leave. I had been sick for four weeks and was run down. But, I felt like I had made a commitment to be there. So, even though the trip was going to have me crossing the country twice that week (I had another trip planned, too) and I was still struggling to regain my health, I felt like I should go.

Something hit me the night before though...was this really a priority for me? Did it line up with my core values? By going, and staying sick, was I in turn possibly jeopardizing a trip with my kids the following week that I was really looking forward to? And finally, did I actually NEED to be there?

Ultimately, I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to go to the airport, still battling a low grade fever, and decided the answer to most of my questions was no. No, I didn't need to be there. No, it didn't necessarily line up with my core values. No, it wasn't a priority. So, I simply sent an e-mail explaining my illness and my need for rest, and I went back to sleep (until 10am -  and event then my kids woke me up because they were worried).

This was a new way for me. Historically, I would have gone, out of some feeling of obligation or guilt - obligation to people I hadn't even met yet on a non-critical event. I decided to prioritize my health and in turn, time with my family instead.

-Elliot