Time and Time Again

There is nothing more blistering in my ears than to hear someone say, “I can’t because I don’t have enough time.

That’s the biggest crock of crap anyone can say. It’s an excuse, which is a choice not to do something. You had plenty of time, you just didn’t manage it wisely. I’ve heard this ongoing complaint for years.

Time is always an issue with people. They like to blame the fact that there isn’t enough time in the day to do all the things they want or need to do.

I call B.S.! Let’s break it down:

On a 24-hour day, let’s take the best-case scenario. Suppose you are able to get eight hours of sleep. That leaves 16 hours for “awake” activities. Then let’s throw in work. So now you are working a 9-hour day (eight hours with a one-hour lunch break). That leaves 7-hours left over. Consider 1-hour of drive time, kids (if you have any) activities, homework, cooking dinner, getting them to bed…we are looking at an additional 4-5 hours. So at best you are left with 3-hours of time, at worst 2 hours. And that’s off an 8-hour night’s sleep.

“Well, I work two jobs and don’t have that luxury.”

First off, if you are working two jobs, then it should be to save extra. If you are a single parent, I understand, but the goal is to figure out how to find the time so you don’t have to work two jobs.

Refer to last week’s blog, Need vs. Want. We all need money. We all need shelter. We all need clothing. We all need food. But do we WANT to live like that? Do you like living paycheck to paycheck? Do you like being overweight? Do you like having a boss tell you how it’s going to be or having one that never listens? Do you like being passed up for promotions? Do you want a bigger paycheck?

If you want it badly enough, you’ll have to manipulate the way you utilize time in order to get the results you want.

Time is your best friend or it can be your worst enemy. You either figure out how to use it to your advantage to get results (your best friend) or you claim you don’t have enough time and do nothing, getting ZERO results (your worst enemy).

I’m not saying it is easy. When you “want” something bad enough, like we just talked about, you’ll find a way to make the time. If you are busy and find someone to fall in love with, you’ll find the time to date them. If you are overweight and want to lose weight, you’ll find the time to exercise and food prep. If you are tired of working for someone and want to start your own business, you’ll find the time to write up a plan and execute it.

WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING BAD ENOUGH, YOU’LL MAKE TIME YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

Stephenie Meyer, the author famous for the Twilight Saga, has a husband, three kids, and a full-time day job. When she had downtime at night, she would stay up after everyone was in bed writing her story, because she wanted to. She knew she had to find the time or she would never be able to share her story with the world. The rest is history.

Time is the most valuable resource we have. Once it goes, it’s gone and you can’t get it back. That’s why people say, “Make the most of your time.” There’s a reason for this quote. You have to become time-efficient. That means in order to achieve your goals and become successful, you have to find the time. And you must remember that time has a two-fold understanding – utilizing it to be advantageous and understanding that if you put in the time, it is only over time that you will see results. If you are working hard at achieving your goals, nothing happens overnight as I mentioned earlier. So to be able to respect, understand, and appreciate that putting in the time to reach those goals is also patiently waiting to see results. This is a very important lesson.

We are in a world of technological advancements. We have resources galore. Even stores and gyms are now open 24-hours, like Planet Fitness (well, they are getting back there after Covid). I have a friend who has six children. She works a full-time job, does casting calls for acting gigs, raises her kids with her hubby who also works full-time, and heads to the gym around 11:30 pm most nights after the kids and hubby are sleeping to keep herself in good physical shape. She has been swapping that out lately and getting up early some mornings to go for a run. But she does what she needs to maintain herself for her acting roles…and because she wants to stay healthy for her children and her husband. She MAKES time her best friend, thus her ability to find success.

It’s never easy because if it were, we’d all be successful, rich, in shape, in awesome relationships, raising great families, etc. But that’s not reality. Climbing the mountain to success is no easy task. It will require a whole mess of mental and physical discipline. But time is an ally. And if you use it wisely, it will make the climb much less painful. So stop saying you don’t have enough time (it’s an excuse; you choose not to have enough time!). If you want it badly enough, you will make the time.

This is your life. This is your time. You owe it to yourself to get the best from you possible.

Your best self is waiting to be discovered. You have one amazing life so make it the best life possible!

It’s time to ignite!