I don't feel like anyone is truly "born" with this skill. 

I'm not at the apex of success by any means - I'm still climbing and learning and have a long long way to go. That said, from observing people (personally and vicariously) who are considered successful by many sources all appear to have this skill down. 

They have mastered the art of prioritization. 

This quote from The Minimalists reminded me of this idea:

I believe one of the biggest tricks our mind plays on us is equating activity with productivity. While successful people are often times very busy with full plates, it's not knocking out a to-do list that necessarily makes them successful. They know how to prioritize which matters make it to the top of their to-do list. 

Life and work throw us a ton of distractions. We also live in an ADD world that rewards us for working on the next thing and not the important thing. There's nothing more frustrating to have a meaningful thing to work on, only to be sidetracked by things that are deemed "urgent" that really aren't. 

I think successful people realize when to say no. They understand how to evaluate the urgency of any given task. It's a skill that comes with time and experience. It's something that you constantly learn more about. 

What do you think? Is prioritization an underrated skill?