All great achievers, all successful people, are those who have been able to gain control over their time. It has been said that all human beings have been created equal in one respect; each person has been given 24 hours each day.
We need to choose to give our best time to our most challenging situation. It’s not how much we do that matters; it’s how much we get done. We should choose to watch our time, not our watch.
One of the best timesavers is the ability to say no. Not saying no when you should is one of the biggest wastes of time you will ever experience.
Don’t spend a dollar’s worth of time for ten cent’s worth of results.
Make sure to take care of the vulnerable times in your days. These vulnerable times are the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
I have heard a minister say that what a person is like at midnight when he is all alone reveals that person’s true self.
Never allow yourself to say, “I could be doing big things if I weren’t so busy doing small things!” Take control of your time. The greater control you exercise over your time, the greater freedom you will experience in your life. The psalmist prayed, So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Ps. 90:12).
The Bible teaches us that the devil comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10), and this verse applies to time as well as to people. The enemy desires to provide God’s children with ideas of how to kill, steal, and destroy valuable time.
People are always saying, “I’d give anything to be able to…” There is a basic leadership principle that says, “6 x 1 = 6.” If you want to write a book, learn to play a musical instrument, become a better tennis player, or do anything else important, then you should devote one hour a day, six days a week, to the project.
Sooner than you think, what you desire will become reality. There are not many things that a person cannot accomplish in 312 hours a year! Just a commitment of one hour a day, six days a week, is all it takes.
We all have the same amount of time each day. The difference between people is determined by what they do with the amount of time at their disposal.
Don’t be like the airline pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean who reported to his passengers, “We’re lost, but we’re making great time!” Remember that the future arrives an hour at a time.
Gain control of your time, and you will gain control of your life.
by John Mason.
Excerpt permission granted by Insight Publishing
John Mason is an international bestselling author, minister, publisher, executive author coach, and noted speaker. He’s the founder and president of Insight International and Insight Publishing Group. Both organizations are dedicated to helping people reach their dreams and fulfill their God-given destinies.
He has authored thirty-two books including An Enemy Called Average, You’re Born An Original—Don’t Die A Copy, Let Go of Whatever Makes You Stop, and Know Your Limits Then Ignore Them which have sold over 2 million copies and are translated into 40 different languages throughout the world. His books are widely regarded as a source of godly wisdom, scriptural motivation, and practical principles. His writings have been published twice in Reader’s Digest along with numerous other national and international publications. Seven of his books have reached number one on Amazon bestseller lists.
He’s been the president of two Christian publishing companies. He’s also a former Vice President and Publisher for Thomas Nelson Publishers (Harper Collins), the 6th largest book publisher in the world and largest Christian publisher.
He’s an internationally recognized executive author coach, helping numerous prominent authors with their books for more than thirty years. Politicians, NBA, NFL, PGA, MLB, an Olympic gold medalist and other professional athletes, billionaires, businesspeople, pastors, ministers, New York Times bestselling authors, a Fortune 500 CEO, Navy SEALs, Top Gun pilots, and a Texas governor have all benefitted from his knowledge.
Known for his quick wit, powerful thoughts, and insightful ideas, he is a popular speaker across the US and around the world.