The phrase that Claire said to him before they departed just made sense after their plan started. Matthew honestly didn't know about that priority thing that she was talking about, he never thought about his priorities at all. In truth, he just acted the way he thought that was reasonable, nothing else. He wasn't emotional to the level of letting his feelings make him focus more on one thing than another.
'If I have priorities, then I will close my sight for the rest of the world. Having priorities means staying focused on something and doing everything I can for this sake. However, having a focal point isn't something good. Not for someone who acts the way I do. I need to always have a wider perspective, so I can grasp the details and do what is best for the situation, not for a single insignificant thing.'
That was all he could think about when running towards the south, so he would have his encounter with Ryan.
