Time is the ultimate currency. There is nothing that can be changed about your actions from 5 minutes ago, let alone the last week, month, or year. What’s done is done. What’s important is that you gain wisdom from these experiences so that you can perform better in the present and be positioned more effectively for the future. It’s also important that there is some sense of balance between the present and future. You do need to know where you are going if you expect to get there. You can’t just make it up as you go along.
Sadly, many leaders I know do just that and live a very tactical and reactive existence. As you begin each day, I encourage you to reflect on what happened the prior day and what you should learn from it; prioritize and think through the best way to get done what needs to get done that day; and consider how all of this relates to your future goals and plans. And, to do this, you need to have future goals and plans! There is nothing more valuable than time. What separates truly successful people from the “want to be successful” people is their ability to manage their time well.
Related articles
- Are You Spending Your Time the Right Way (hbr.org)
- Managing Your Time as A Leader (thesystemsthinker.com)
- Focus Your Time Well and Fulfill Your Commitments (capacity-building.com)
- Leaders: 4 Simple Ways You Can Engage Your Team and Manage Your Time (forbes.com)