Insights 21: Time is ours to burn

Edition 21:  31 August 2022

Thoughtful quotations:
“Where your attention goes, your time goes” Idowu Koyenikan 

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." Michael Altshuler 

“One of the very worst uses of time, is to do something very well that need not be done at all.” Brian Tracy

Context for reflection:
As the saying goes: “Time waits for nobody.” It may be tempting to blame others when we feel crunched for time. The reality is that how we spend time is to a large extent our choice. Time is like a gold nugget. Without attention, the value is there, but its potential is not realised.
As leaders we are ambitious, on a mission to achieve remarkable things. When we observe public figures in action we often ask, where they were when important situations unfold. We expect them to be there, to say something and to lead the way. Yet often they disappoint.
So too, we should ask ourselves, where we are in the moments that count.
Much is written about time and time management. Philosophers have argued over the centuries whether time exists, or whether it is a human creation to help us track our lives. Early Buddhist thinking suggested that even if time exists, it is impossible to prove.
Enough of the esoteric, for us mortals, time is a valuable commodity that each of us own. When we realise that we own our time, we are empowered by the opportunity of choice. If we allow others to own our time, we are squeezed by demands and requirements.
 
A few question to contemplate:

• How much control do you have over your time?
• Do you go with the expectations of others or pilot your way forward?
• How often have you spent time doing things that others did not value or need? How can you change this?

Drafted in all humility as I continue my journey of discovery. It is indeed challenging, with so much to remember and learn.

Master your leadership, attend the Insights Leadership programme 2022. Attend the Time Squeeze and become a master of your time.

Andrew Pons

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