What we can achieve in any area is determined by the resources we have. The scarcest resource is the limiting factor. When it comes to accomplishment, the limiting factor is time. Remember the film Groundhog Day? If you don’t, let it be the next film you watch. In the film, after numerous failed suicide attempts Phil starts to use his magical gift of ‘extra time’ to perfect himself. He works on his character, he builds up new skills, and he altogether turns his own nightmare into an absolute dream. And then he wakes up. And he realizes that he really did create goodness in his life, and he continues to live his dream.
Fantasy? Yes and No. Yes? We don’t get the chance to live any day twice. No? The major elements of our lives remain the same every day, and through our use of time, we can slowly and steadily live more and more of our dreams, improving ourselves and growing our skills.
We all have 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week. Sure everyone has different talents, and we can’t necessarily do what someone else can. So what CAN we do?
The first step is to become aware that all your dreams, goals and accomplishments are limited by the time you have. Your relationship to time is the one determinant that will have the greatest effect on our life. Think about the person who is given 6 months to live. Suddenly, each moment is sacred, relationships are central and the scarcity of time becomes all too apparent. Lets not wait!
The second step is to record where your time goes. What gets measured improves. What doesn’t hardly has a hope. We are painfully unaware of where our time goes, yet it effects the life that we lead, the emotions we feel and the relationships we have more than any other factor.
The third step is to manage time. Decide what you want to achieve and set aside the time to you need. Communicate with others, so they will help you to limit and stay away from the things that take away from your ‘life’, and help you focus on what matters.
One of the interesting ironies of modern life is the amount of time that we spend watching and talking about famous people. We may marvel at their accomplishments, or talk them down. Sometimes their lives look easy. The way sportsmen play makes it look effortless. Have you ever thought – I wish I would live like that? I certainly have.
The secret of the success of all these people is hard work. it takes thousands of hours of practice to be a professional sportsman – even if you were born with talent. The good news is that each one of us can accomplish great things and we don’t have to spend thousands of hours on it all at once. Time is cumulative, so lets start today to actualize our power.
Time is totally irreplaceable. Cultivate a tender loving care of time and the reward will be living your dreams.
Time Power, Your Power 