Priorities, Focus, and the Eisenhower Matrix

It’s very easy to get distracted. I’d argue it’s easier than ever before; thanks to modern technology, we always carry at least one screen with us, often two or three. Distraction is also more common in remote work settings. In an in-person meeting, you’re less likely to simultaneously look at Slack, email, and five browser tabs. But when you’re on Zoom, the temptation to multitask is always just a click away.

In startups, distraction isn’t just a nuisance: It’s a threat. HP^1 co-founder David Packard famously quoted a Wells Fargo engineer as saying:

More companies die of indigestion than starvation.

In other words, startups are more likely to fail by doing too much than by doing too little. It’s not a lack of opportunities that kills you, it’s an excess of them.

(For you young folks, David Packard was the founder of computer giant Hewlett Packard. You may know them for their printers, but they invented many of the great early test and measurement tools before computers. It's the original Palo Alto startup from a garage.)

The Eisenhower Matrix

One tool that helps cut through the noise is the Eisenhower Matrix. I didn’t know this method had a name until I wrote this post. It’s a classic 2x2 grid used to prioritize tasks by urgency and importance:

Named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who once said, “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important” the matrix divides your to-do list into four quadrants:

1. Important and Urgent: Do it now.
2. Important but Not Urgent: Do it later.
3. Not Important but Urgent: Delegate it.
4. Not Important and Not Urgent: Don’t do it, descope it.

Eisenhower was a five-star general in World War II and later the 34th President of the United States. He was known for his ability to manage vast, complex operations and for his emphasis on prioritization. The matrix attributed to him has become a popular tool in productivity and time management literature.

Startups Live in the First Quadrant

When you’re running a startup, almost everything that matters lives in Quadrant 1: important and urgent.

• Running out of money? Fundraise now.
• Don’t understand your users? Talk to them today.
• No traction yet? Get out there and hustle.

The difference between thriving and failing in startup life often comes down to how well you operate in that quadrant.

Beware the Temptation of Quadrants 2 and 4

Here’s the trap: it sounds important when a big company wants to discuss a partnership. It could change your life, right? But is it urgent for them? Probably not, unless they keep calling you.

Founders get sucked into Quadrant 2—important but not urgent—all the time. These tasks might be fine with a mature team and strong execution discipline. But in early-stage startups, this zone can lead to death by distraction. Instead of completing today's critical work, you spend time speculating on “strategic” ideas.

Even worse is Quadrant 4: not important and not urgent. And yet, it still occupies a surprising amount of mindshare. Why? Because priorities shift fast in startups. If you drop what you were doing today to chase something new tomorrow, the thing you were working on was probably neither important nor urgent in the first place.

What About Quadrant 3?

I've decided it's neither important nor urgent to talk about quadrant three. I've delegated a blog post on delegation to future Matthew.

One Bite at a Time

Startups have too many opportunities. The temptation is to try to consume them all. But, as the Packard quote reminds us, overconsumption leads to failure. Indigestion kills.

It’s better to get one thing done than make 10% progress on ten things and finish none.

Strong Vision Wins

Founders who succeed over the long term tend to have a strong internal compass. They know what they’re trying to build. Outside opinions don’t easily sway them because they’ve done the work to develop deeply held convictions.

This clarity of purpose helps with decision-making and attracts the right people. Top talent wants to follow a mission, not a mood swing.

By contrast, founders who constantly reprioritize create churn. They burn capital, time, and trust. They may be busy, but they’re busy doing things that are neither important nor urgent.

The Hardest Question

So, how do you know what’s important and urgent?

Answering this question is the hard part. Every situation is different. No matrix, framework, or guru can tell you exactly what matters in your business. But if you don’t spend time actively bucketing your tasks, you’ll find yourself in Quadrant 4 more often than you think.

Yes, that new deal might sound compelling. But if it pulls you off your path, it’s a distraction. If it’s not part of your core goals, then it probably doesn’t belong on your plate today.

Startups succeed when they focus.