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Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it.

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📈 The Most Important List You’ll Ever Make

Last week, I wrote about “You Only Get So Many Summers—Here’s Why That Matters.” That post was inspired by the math of The Tail End—how quickly time slips away with the people we love, and how we only get a finite number of meaningful moments together.

But there’s another big lesson from The Tail End that’s just as important: if we want to make the most of our limited time, we have to get intentional about who we spend it with.

If you’re like me, you probably have a handful of people who light up your life—family, old friends, maybe a mentor or two. But life moves fast. Work gets busy, kids need rides, emails pile up, and before you know it, months or even years can go by without a real conversation with someone you care about.

It’s easy to let our relationships drift, not out of neglect, but simply because we let life set the agenda for us.

That’s why I started keeping a “Priority People” list—a simple, practical tool that helps me stay connected to the people who matter most.

Why You Need a Priority People List

Think of your “Priority People” list as your personal relationship compass. It’s not about ranking people or playing favorites—it’s about being mindful and deliberate with your most precious resource: your time. The reality is, you can’t nurture every relationship deeply. But you can make sure you’re investing in the people who matter most to you.

Here’s what I’ve found:

● The people you’re closest to today won’t necessarily stay close unless you’re intentional. Relationships don’t maintain themselves—they need attention and care.

● Without a system, it’s easy to let months or even years slip by without a real conversation.

● When you know who your “priority people” are, it’s easier to say yes to the right invitations—and no to the ones that don’t serve you.

I’ve also noticed that when I’m deliberate about connecting with my priority people, I feel more grounded, supported, and less isolated—even when life gets chaotic.

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How to Make (and Use) Your Priority People List

1. Write Down Your People: Start with a blank page, a note on your phone, or a spreadsheet. Write down the names of the people you want to prioritize—family, friends, mentors, colleagues, anyone who truly matters to you. This isn’t a popularity contest; it’s about who brings meaning, joy, and support to your life. For most, this list is somewhere between 5 and 20 people.

As you write, ask yourself:

● Who do I feel happiest or most myself around?

● Who do I trust to support me in tough times?

● Who do I want to have more memories with in the years ahead?

2. Review and Update Regularly: Life changes, and so do relationships. Every few months, revisit your list. Are there people you’ve grown closer to, or drifted from? Is there someone you want to reconnect with? Let your list evolve as your life does.

3. Reach Out Intentionally: Use your list as a gentle nudge to check in, make plans, or just send a quick message. Don’t overthink it—a simple “Hey, I was thinking about you!” can mean the world. You don’t have to schedule big events; sometimes a text, a call, or a shared meme is enough to keep the connection alive.

4. Protect Time for These People: When you’re planning your week or month, look at your list and ask: Have I spent quality time with these people lately? If not, block off a few hours—even if it’s just a coffee or a walk. Prioritize these moments the way you would any important commitment. If you’re traveling, see if you can meet up with someone on your list who lives nearby.

5. Let Go of Guilt:  You can’t be everything to everyone. It’s okay to focus your energy on the people who matter most, and to let other relationships naturally fade. That’s not selfish—it’s realistic, and it allows you to show up more fully for those who matter most.

6. Make It Visible: Consider keeping your list somewhere you’ll see it—on your desk, in your planner, or as a note on your phone. The simple act of seeing those names regularly will remind you to reach out and stay connected.

The Ripple Effect

When you’re intentional about your relationships, you’ll notice a ripple effect in your life:

● You’ll feel more connected and less isolated, even during busy or stressful times.

● Your most important relationships will deepen and grow, and you’ll create more lasting memories.

● You’ll have fewer regrets about “lost time” or missed opportunities.

● You’ll be able to support your people—and be supported—when it matters most.

You might even inspire others to do the same. When you reach out to someone with genuine attention, it often prompts them to reach out to others in their life, creating a chain of meaningful connections.

Make It Actionable

Here’s a simple challenge for this week:

● Make your own Priority People list.

● Reach out to one person on that list you haven’t spoken to in a while.

● Put a recurring reminder on your calendar to review your list every month or two.

● Next time you’re invited to something, check your list—can you use that time to connect with someone who matters most?

If you want to go further, schedule a recurring “relationship hour” on your calendar—just 30-60 minutes each week to text, call, or make plans with someone from your list. You’ll be amazed at how much closer you feel to the people who matter most.

Final Thoughts

You only get so many summers, so many birthdays, so many “just because” coffees or phone calls. Time is precious, and so are the people you choose to spend it with. The best relationships aren’t built on grand gestures—they’re built on small, consistent acts of attention and care.

If you haven’t read my previous post, “You Only Get So Many Summers—Here’s Why That Matters,” I encourage you to check it out as well. It’s a powerful reminder of just how fleeting—and how meaningful—our time together really is.

Let’s make sure we’re spending it where it matters most.

Talk soon,

Steve

📺 Today’s Featured Video

Today’s video on The 4 Burners Theory, explores a powerful metaphor for balancing life’s major priorities: work, family, friends, and health. The idea is simple but profound—imagine your life as a stove with four burners, each representing one of these areas. To be successful, you often have to turn down or even turn off one burner to give more energy to the others.

This concept ties directly into today’s email about prioritizing the people who matter most. Just like the burners on the stove, your time and energy are limited resources. You can’t pour equally into every relationship and responsibility without burning out. The key is to be intentional about which burners you turn up and which you turn down, so you can nurture your priority people and live a balanced, fulfilling life.

If you’re struggling to juggle your commitments or wondering how to make room for the relationships that truly matter, this video offers a clear and relatable framework to help you decide where to focus your energy.

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