To put first things first, stop putting things first

“Put first things first” is a popular and sensible self-help slogan that urges us to prioritize important things. It, however, leaves unanswered some key questions: What things are important? And on what basis is their importance ascertained? Is that basis something subjective – some things are important to one person, others to another person?

No doubt, different things are important to different people depending on their psychophysical nature. Yet some things are important to everyone. Or at least should be. Why? Because we all are at our core souls and can find lasting happiness only in spiritual love for Krishna. Without attaining that love or at least progressing towards it, our lives go in vain, no matter what else we achieve. Our other achievements can neither grant us lasting fulfillment, nor save us from the miserable cycle of birth and death.

If cultivating devotion for Krishna is so important, why do we often neglect it?

Because we put things first. Here things refer to material objects such as possessions and sense objects. Putting things first means to become so obsessed with materialism that it strips away our freedom to nourish our spiritual side.

The Bhagavad-gita (02.44) cautions that excessive attachment to worldly things whittles away our spiritual determination.

How can we stop putting things first?

We may not be able to break free from our attachments immediately, but we can still prevent them from destroying our spiritual prospects. Whenever we have the opportunity to fix the mind on Krishna and engage in his service, we can tap that opportunity to the best of our capacity. That contact with Krishna will purify us, gradually giving us the inner strength to resist and reject distracting attachments. Then we can increasingly relish uninterrupted the sweetness of devotion, deepen our determination and march undistracted towards Krishna.