In business one of the most frustrating things is the lack of urgency. Corporations are notorious for this. They take a long time to make decisions and executives think nothing of delaying meetings and decisions for weeks or months. In contrast, when you work with start-ups in Silicon Valley they move so fast it can leave your head spinning. The concept of time and urgency are very different depending on which business you are in, how much money you have to burn and the kind of leaders at the helm.
Perspective is important when looking at the concept of time. Have you ever spoken to someone who is terminally ill? They bring a whole new perspective on urgency. After all, most of us don't know when the curtain will come down on us, but someone who is terminally ill adapts their life quickly and moves faster than they ever have on getting their affairs in order, doing the things they always wanted to, and spending time with loved ones.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about time is how it speeds up the older you get. As a kid in my teens I used to think a year is so long. Everything started with the new school year, the changing of sports seasons, Christmas, then Easter and Spring time, followed by end of school year and summer holidays. Then it all started again but each year was like a new book. New friends, new teachers, new classes, new activities. Time almost stood still when I was a teenager, and we thought in increments of a year.
In my twenties things went a little faster and you start to think and plan in decades. "By the time I reach 30 I'm going to be..." My twenties, while faster than my teens, went pretty slow too. I worked for three companies in that time after I finished my education. I lived in 5 countries. I traveled extensively for fun and business. And my bills got bigger and bigger towards the end of my twenties, especially after I bought my first home.
I am now at the end of my thirties and can honestly say this decade has gone by really fast. My responsibilities have quadrupled, I've settled down and become more focused on the future, as unwritten as it may be. My 20 year high school reunion was a big reminder of how time is speeding up. It was like yesterday when we graduated high school. And I'm starting to feel age physically even though I am in better shape today than I was when I graduated high school. Time gets shorter the older you get.
And this is the lesson lost on many. Urgency is important. Not blind urgency, but nonetheless you have to be focused on accomplishments every day and as fast as possible because time speeds up all the way till the end. Life is about action, not inaction.
I liken it to sports. In sports there are three major types of people: those who make things happen, those who things happen to, and those who watch things happen. Most people are unfortunately in the bucket of things happening to them. Think those individuals who blame everyone else for everything that is wrong with the world. Be it the Occupy Wall Street crowds or those living with dependency on others, these people basically are not taking the kind of action needed to make it happen. The next big group are spectators, those who watch things happen to others. And finally you have the few who are hell bent on making it happen.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that if you are an employee you should be categorized as someone who things happen to. And I'm not saying that all entrepreneurs are people who make it happen. The world is not black or white, as much as we would like it to be. Forget about general categorization, what makes human beings so amazing is our individuality and I'm saying time speeds up for all of us the older we get. So now is the time to act.
Some years back my cousins and I put together a bucket list. I called my list "999 things to do before I go". I have over 300 things on this list today, and over the weekend I reviewed the stats and have accomplished 74 of them. Long way to go, so little time. Among my accomplished list were crazy things like "Live in Edinburgh, Scotland, for a year" or "Learn to snow board". Its been a slow process, but I've worked hard to change my mindset from one of "I've got time" to "Just Do It".
And this brings me back to business and life. We don't live forever. You have to make things happen as fast as possible. You never know if that proverbial bus thats going to run you over is round the corner. Leave your mark. You don't have to be wealthy, a business owner or an adventurer with no family or responsibilities. You can make a difference in anything and in many ways, but you have to act. Now.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about time is how it speeds up the older you get. As a kid in my teens I used to think a year is so long. Everything started with the new school year, the changing of sports seasons, Christmas, then Easter and Spring time, followed by end of school year and summer holidays. Then it all started again but each year was like a new book. New friends, new teachers, new classes, new activities. Time almost stood still when I was a teenager, and we thought in increments of a year.
In my twenties things went a little faster and you start to think and plan in decades. "By the time I reach 30 I'm going to be..." My twenties, while faster than my teens, went pretty slow too. I worked for three companies in that time after I finished my education. I lived in 5 countries. I traveled extensively for fun and business. And my bills got bigger and bigger towards the end of my twenties, especially after I bought my first home.
I am now at the end of my thirties and can honestly say this decade has gone by really fast. My responsibilities have quadrupled, I've settled down and become more focused on the future, as unwritten as it may be. My 20 year high school reunion was a big reminder of how time is speeding up. It was like yesterday when we graduated high school. And I'm starting to feel age physically even though I am in better shape today than I was when I graduated high school. Time gets shorter the older you get.
And this is the lesson lost on many. Urgency is important. Not blind urgency, but nonetheless you have to be focused on accomplishments every day and as fast as possible because time speeds up all the way till the end. Life is about action, not inaction.
I liken it to sports. In sports there are three major types of people: those who make things happen, those who things happen to, and those who watch things happen. Most people are unfortunately in the bucket of things happening to them. Think those individuals who blame everyone else for everything that is wrong with the world. Be it the Occupy Wall Street crowds or those living with dependency on others, these people basically are not taking the kind of action needed to make it happen. The next big group are spectators, those who watch things happen to others. And finally you have the few who are hell bent on making it happen.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that if you are an employee you should be categorized as someone who things happen to. And I'm not saying that all entrepreneurs are people who make it happen. The world is not black or white, as much as we would like it to be. Forget about general categorization, what makes human beings so amazing is our individuality and I'm saying time speeds up for all of us the older we get. So now is the time to act.
Some years back my cousins and I put together a bucket list. I called my list "999 things to do before I go". I have over 300 things on this list today, and over the weekend I reviewed the stats and have accomplished 74 of them. Long way to go, so little time. Among my accomplished list were crazy things like "Live in Edinburgh, Scotland, for a year" or "Learn to snow board". Its been a slow process, but I've worked hard to change my mindset from one of "I've got time" to "Just Do It".
And this brings me back to business and life. We don't live forever. You have to make things happen as fast as possible. You never know if that proverbial bus thats going to run you over is round the corner. Leave your mark. You don't have to be wealthy, a business owner or an adventurer with no family or responsibilities. You can make a difference in anything and in many ways, but you have to act. Now.
Here is a little humor about how one of the dudes I admire for all his accomplishments lives his life. Enjoy.
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