You are the Pilot
Time often gets a bad rap.
There's never enough time. You're running out of time. It's a race against time...Sound familiar? All common phrases that pit us against the 24 hours we are gifted each day.
Too often, it is perceived as something we are competing against. Either time wins, or we win.
But what if instead of rivals, we and time were time were teammates?
Time is a gift! A fresh supply of 24 hours, delivered every day freely and without condition. What we do with those hours is entirely up to us. Incredible!
As soon as we start to see time for what it is, an opportunity that we can use however we choose, everything changes.
Here are four simple shifts to help you work with, rather than against, the time you've been given.
1. Look forward, not backwards
When you're tempted to bemoan the time that has "slipped away" from your day or even life, try instead to find gratitude for and possibility in the hours that remain.
To quote rapper Lil Wayne (<-- a phrase I never thought I would utter), "The more time you spend contemplating what you should have done...you lose valuable time planning what you can and will do."
2. Ask yourself what would be the best use of your time
Then brainstorm creative ways to add that to your day. One of the most effective ways to magnify your time is by allocating some of it for reflection and setting intentions.
3. Spend five minutes on something you've been procrastinating
Only five minutes! Whether it's starting a project, organizing a closet or reading a book you've been putting off, just five minutes can initiate feelings of accomplishment and momentum.
4. Remember that you are the pilot
Michael Altshuler said, "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you are the pilot."
If time is an airplane and the vehicle by which you achieve our goals, then ask yourself - Are you seated in coach, or the cockpit? Time works for you, not the other way around.
So go ahead - adjust your headset and perform the preflight checklist. It's time for takeoff.