Borrowed Money Can be paid back but can you say the same about Borrowed Time?

I was watching an old movie the other day. It was one of those classics that when you see it you clearly have deep thoughts afterwards. In fact, I remember reading the novel when I was in Junior High School. Definitely quite some time ago. So you must be wondering at this point what the name of this movie / book was called. Well it was called “On Borrowed Time”. A story of how a man was able to catch Mr. Death and hold him captive and thus protect his family from the inevitable. Eventually, he was released so that time could continue to march on.

Time is a commodity in our existence that has a beginning and an ending. Time in our universe, on the other hand,has a beginning but no ending. The sands of time are never ending. Each and every one of us has the same 168 hours of time each week as the hour glass resets itself. We have been given an opportunity by our birth to travel on a journey of life that has numerous destinations. Unfortunately, all too often, we get side tracked along the way. While we are young, we handle everything as if tomorrow is such a long way off. As I remember the quote from Dickens’ classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities” that it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. I take it a step further and say that regardless, it is the times.

Time does and will continue to march on. And if we are not careful, it will be gone in our lives to be carried away, just as the wind comes and goes. My first call to action for you this day, yes, this very day is to take action and plan out your time. That means that you need to write down everything that you need to accomplish and to set up your plan of action to take advantage of the time allotted. If you are not used to writing things down, you have two solutions: Either Change or get someone to help you make that list. You need to understand that procrastination is not your friend. Decide what is urgent vs important. Urgent means now! Important while not urgent must be actioned on a timely schedule. Decide that other people’s distractions cannot become your distractions. YOU must control YOUR time. Once time has come and gone, you cannot pay it back as if it were money that you borrowed. You cannot continue to live “On Borrowed Time”.

What are those distractions that can cause you to become sidetracked and off course? Well the list is virtually endless ranging from illness, fatigue, war to just plain procrastination. The “I’ll do it tomorrow” syndrome can be very contagious better known as the Scarlet O’Hara syndrome from the movie “Gone With the Wind”. The thinking that it is ok because you have plenty of time to get it done or that it won’t affect you if you put it off. Well, that is all well and good if you have lots of time! The challenge is that none of us knows just how much time we have. What is most important (and sometimes it takes a life time to figure out) is to determine what your why is. To determine what the dash between your dates is to be and then go after it with all the energy and gusto that you have. I will cover that in another post which will also include the “why” of what you spend your time on.

Get yourself an accountability partner who will hold you accountable to time. I hate to say this to you but your life depends upon it. As a fully certified Teacher, Trainer and Coach of the John Maxwell Team, I can help you to make the most of your time. Contact me today at [email protected]

The choice is yours but the results that will follow will be timeless…Peace. BB

It’s Not About Position, but more about Empowerment. Where do you fit in (and what are you doing about it)?

Proverbs 17:2 states that it is better to be a wise slave than a foolish son.

For those who know and follow the teachings of John C. Maxwell, we know that to not study the maxims is to position yourself for something less than success.. Mind you, through trial and error you may eventually get to success but at what cost? John has stated that Leadership is Influence, nothing more, nothing less. And to that end, it is paramount that you study and learn the 5 Levels of Leadership. Level 1 begins where so many are stuck. The belief that leadership is based on your position. It might be your position at work, on a community board, or in your family. All too often, you hear people who want to move up the ladder saying that when they get the position, they will study the Leadership. What does in fact happen, all too often, is that the individual gets the “position” and forgets that they need the leadership. They have arrived and thus it is assumed that they now know what they need to know. Positional Leadership is not a safe level to be at as you don’t have the buy in of your team. You may think that you do but your really don’t.

Our influence has less to do with our position or title than it does with the empowering others along the way life we live. It’s not about position but more so about production. While it is so important that we continue to educate ourselves to be better leaders and managers, it is extremely important to continually strive to empower people along the way. This is a major difference than just us holding a position. This is the key to the road of credibility that we must attain. Remember that you don’t want to just think that you have arrived because you have reached your Level 1 position. If you have hopes of being successful and building upon that credibility then you need to work towards the higher levels. At this point, I draw your attention to John’s book the 360 Degree Leader. Leaders need to understand that it is NOT about the Leader. It is about the Team which is made up of many Leaders. You must seek to empower, teach and train above, below and sideways of where you are in your Organization. The maxim of thinking that if you keep those around you weak, that you will remain in a position of strength is just flat out WRONG! Your strength will weaken just as that of Sampson after the haircut.

I want to ask you 5 questions:

1. Consistency: Are you the same person no matter who is with you?
2. Choices: Do you make decisions based on how they benefit you or others?
3. Credit: Are you quick to recognize others for their efforts when you succeed?
4. Character: Do you work harder at your image or your integrity?
5. Credibility: Have you recognized that credibility is a victory, not a gift?

My call to action is to ask you to first determine where you are personally at regarding the 5 Levels of Leadership. Once you have made that determination, I ask you to evaluate and be honest with yourself as to whether you are empowering others. Truly empowering others. Of course, you will need to have a copy of the 5 Levels of Leadership and the 360 Degree Leader.

Contact me today at [email protected] and let’s arrange adding you to a Mastermind Group where you can interact with others as we seek to learn how to be better at “empowering” and less about position. Peace. BB