Urgent vs Important

What is Urgent and Important in term of tasks? Some people confuses both and mixes them together. Do we have to really do tasks when it becomes urgent, or can we tackle important tasks before it becomes urgent? Seth Godin posted an article and try to answer this question using some good examples:

… The most important idea of all is this one: You will succeed in the face of change when you make the difficult decisions first. It’s easy to justify running for your plane when it’s leaving in two minutes and you’re only five gates away. It’s much harder to justify waking up 10 minutes early to avoid the problem altogether. Alas, waking up early is the efficient, effective way to deal with the challenge. Waking up earlier may seem foolish to the person lying in bed next to you, but when you enjoy the benefits of a pleasant stroll to the gate, you realize that your difficult decision was a good one…

What are you view on urgent tasks vs important tasks? How do you usually tackle them?

Hurry! – [Seth Godin]