The Need For Speed

This is a line from the blockbuster movie "Top Gun". In it, Goose tells Maverick that he has "the need for speed". Of course, they were naval aviators so this makes sense. However, for me, this is a motto for successful people. Those who rise to the top have the need for speed in their daily lives.

How much time do you waste? This is a question which warrants a lot of thought. Have you ever considered how many hours per week you waste? Idle time is death to someone who is trying to get ahead. Nevertheless, most fall into the trap of misusing time. In the end, they fail to grasp the power of momentum.

Everyday is comprised of the same amount of time, 24 hours. This equates to 1440 minutes which you can use for positive results. Each minute wasted is one less that you have to accomplish something. And, the minutes do add up.

Let us suppose that you sleep 7 hours per night. That leaves 1020 minutes in your day since 420 of them are spent sleeping. Naturally, everyone has daily activities like personal hygiene, eating, and dressing. These can reduce the total by another 120 minutes total. That leaves us now with 900 minutes which to do something. Nevertheless, that is still a lot of time.

Our day is basically a series of tasks. Those who best manage their time seem to get ahead. Yet, what does it mean to "manage" time? While there are many different answers, my concept of this is to best utilize each moment of the day. Those who excel at time management move from one activity to another without wasting even a minute. It is no coincidence that these are usually the successful people in an organization.

Let us get back to your life. If you have roughly 900 minutes each day to utilize, are you doing it effectively? This will really take some honesty on your part. Most people waste a large portion of their day. They do not spend their time in productive pursuits. Instead, they let moments slip away like they are worthless. Time is precious; just ask a dying man.

So, how many hours do you waste watching worthless television? Casually surfing the web? Do you spent extra moments chit chatting with other employees instead of attending to the business at hand? How much time do you waste at home doing "nothing"? These should give you an idea of some of the areas where you allow precious time to escape.

From now on, I want to you strive to make you day seamless. What I mean by this is to move from one activity to another. Do not dilly dally in between the tasks that need attention. The behavior of the successful is to use each moment to the fullest. Put yourself on self imposed deadlines to get things done. Most people do respond to a bit of pressure. Whatever the method, the goal is to use the time we have to the greatest advantage. Adopt the philosophy of having "the need for speed".
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