oxygen choices

I have a thing for sweet, off-beat movies.  That Thing You Do.  Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  Larry Crowne.  I play them over and over again while I'm unloading the dishwasher, loading the washing machine, cooking.  The boys groan "not again." But then they forget their protest and at some point we end up sitting on the coach watching the end together. Again.

My latest repeat is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  About an ordinary man who breaks free from his limited life and becomes who he wants to be.  I have lots of favorite parts, but one that has become The Quote in our family.

Walter Mitty: [taking on cell phone while climbing a Himalayan mountain] Hey Todd, I'm gonna keep this short. I have to make oxygen choices. 

Oxygen choices!  I love that.  For Walter Mitty there is a limited amount of oxygen available.  Does he want to use it to make it down the mountain alive or to talk to the salesman from e-harmony?  It's really a life and death question.  There is nothing wrong with talking to Todd.  It's just not going to help him reach his goal.  

Last night Josh wanted Jake to play a video game with him.  Jake said "Nope, I have to finish my homework.  Oxygen choices, Josh."  

That echo'd in my ears this morning when I got an invitation to be part of a panel discussion at a University 3 hours away.  Interesting.  Informative. Networking.  But also time consuming in an already really busy time.  Two days away from work.  Two nights away from family.  So I said no.  I have to make oxygen choices.

Best over good.  Here is how Steve Jobs described it.

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”

Best over good.  No to 1,000 things.  I just found two articles on line that talk more about this.  They look so interesting.  But it's 60 degrees out, the sun is shining and my tennis shoes are waiting.  I'm headed out.  Oxygen choices....