The Biggest Blocker: Self-Deception
Harry notes that one of the most significant obstacles to effective prioritization is self-deception—telling ourselves stories about why we “can’t” do certain things or why something “just isn’t possible.” This self-deception can keep us locked in a cycle of overwhelm, especially in fast-paced environments where engineers, product designers, or leaders juggle multiple urgent tasks.
“People will tell themselves stories about why they can’t do it.”
—Harry
Overcoming Self-Deception
- Recognize the Story: Notice the narrative you’re telling yourself about a task or project (“It’s too hard,” “I don’t have time,” etc.).
- Flip the Script: Ask what might happen if you dropped the excuses and tackled it head-on.
- Take One Small Action: Even scheduling a hard conversation or booking that doctor’s appointment can instantly reduce stress and free up mental space.
Prioritization vs. Personal Productivity
It’s easy to conflate prioritization with personal productivity. Harry clarifies the difference:
- Personal Productivity: Handling tasks and time management for efficiency’s sake.
- Prioritization: Making strategic decisions so that individuals, teams, and entire organizations can focus on what genuinely matters most.
When you look at prioritization as a practice—rather than a one-time fix—you start to shape the future you want, rather than reacting to whatever lands in your inbox.
The “Morning Boot Routine”
A central takeaway from Harry’s approach is a simple yet powerful practice to start your day:
- Identify What You’re Avoiding
- Before checking your phone or email, ask: “What am I pretending not to know? What tough conversation or task am I dodging?”
- Write it down. Commit to spending at least 15 minutes making progress on it.
- Focus on a Strategic Goal
- Think of a bigger-picture project or ambition (writing that book, building a product prototype, etc.).
- Schedule a block of time—maybe 30 minutes—on your calendar to move it forward. Guard that time fiercely.
- Address the Most Time-Sensitive Task
- Identify any task with an approaching deadline or a steep “cost of delay.”
- Tackle it head-on before diving into email and Slack, which often bring new (and competing) priorities.
“Use that morning time to be proactive about what you’re avoiding, what’s strategically important, and what’s time-sensitive.”
—Harry
Building a Long-Term Prioritization Practice
Harry emphasizes that prioritization isn’t a one-off decision—it’s an ongoing, holistic practice. For an organization, prioritization failures at the top cascade down to teams and individual contributors, creating a state of perpetual overwhelm. Conversely, when individuals and teams consistently hone their prioritization skills, the organization becomes more adaptive and focused.
Three Levels of Prioritization
- Individual: Establish daily routines (like the morning boot routine) to maintain clarity.
- Team: Align on frameworks and common language (e.g., cost of delay, sprint planning, backlog prioritization) to ensure everyone pulls in the same direction.
- Organizational: Avoid labeling everything as a “Priority 1.” Create a culture that respects and revisits strategic goals regularly.
Introducing the DEGAP Framework
Though the podcast conversation only briefly touched on Harry’s upcoming book, he provided a teaser of its core model: DEGAP—Decide, Engage, Gather, Arrange, and then Prioritize. This structured approach helps individuals and teams determine when to prioritize, how to collect relevant data, and how to arrange it to make optimal decisions.
What to Expect from the Book
- Deeper Dive into DEGAP: Detailed methods for deciding if a prioritization exercise is needed right now—and how to engage in that process effectively.
- Team & Organizational Strategies: Practical guidance on how to apply DGAP at every level, from the personal to the corporate.
- Real-World Case Studies: Insights from engineering teams, executives, and product leaders who have successfully implemented the methodology.
Next Steps: Taking Action
- Try the Morning Boot Routine: Start your day by identifying what you’re avoiding and addressing one strategic item before opening up your email.
- Reflect on Self-Deception: Where might you be telling yourself a story that “you don’t have time” or “it’s too hard”? Challenge that story with a concrete first step.
- Follow Harry & Peak Priorities: Stay updated on the upcoming book and new tools at peakpriorities.com.
- Listen to the Full Episode: If you haven’t already, check out the full “Always an Engineer” podcast episode for more examples, insights, and anecdotes.
Ready to Bring Coherence to Your Life and Work?
At Peak Priorities, we specialize in helping individuals and organizations find clarity and alignment through actionable frameworks—so there are fewer gaps between what you say you want and what you actually do. If you’re looking to transform how you, your team, or your organization approach prioritization, we’re here to help.
Feel free to contact us or subscribe for updates on Harry’s book, upcoming webinars, and more hands-on resources.