There is no doubt about it, your time is precious. However, as a leader it becomes that much more precious, because decisions of where and when to spend our time becomes a choice between better and best. One way to determine what is best is by knowing your priorities. This month we will be looking at how we can determine, and then live our lives accordingly. In order to be effective leaders, we must spend our time wisely because it is our most precious commodity. To illustrate that point think about this:
If you want to know the value of one year, just ask a student who failed a course.
If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet.
If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus.
If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident.
If you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics .[1]
As you can see, time matters and since we can’t do everything our priorities help us spend time wisely. Notice I said spend, because we can’t manage time. Time can’t be controlled, managed, or saved. It can only be spent. While we wish we could do everything, we can’t. Lin Yutung said, “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists of the elimination of nonessentials.” How do we find those nonessentials? Priorities. You see excellence comes from doing the right things correctly and jettisoning the rest. How do I determine what to keep and what to jettison? Priorities.
Next week we will look at some ways to determine your priorities.
Conversation:
If you had six months to live, what would those things be that you would do?”
http://www.thinkaminute.com/titledisplay.asp?CD=545
Recommended Book
Overload is not having time to finish the book you are reading on stress. Margin is having time to read it twice. Overload is fatigue. Margin is energy. Overload is red ink. Margin is black ink. Overload is hurry. Margin is calm. Overload is anxiety. Margin is security. Overload is the disease of our time. Margin is the cure. Margin is the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. In Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson provides a prescription against the danger of overloaded lives. Focusing on margin in four key areas-emotional energy, physical energy, time, and finances-he offers an overall picture of health that employs contentment, simplicity, balance, and rest. If you yearn for relief from the pain and pressure of overload, take a lifelong dose of Margin. The benefits of good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for Gods purposes will follow you all your days.