Being On Time
“Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”
An off schedule post
This is an off-schedule post. That means something different or interesting is going on that warrants paying attention to. So, my friends, read on to find out more!
The most valuable (well, maybe second) commodity in the world
Let me just ask the question and get it out of the way right up front. Because if you agree with me, you will continue reading to find reinforcement for your position. Perhaps you will forward the post to someone and say, “See? I told you…” If you disagree, you will speak words you should not, your blood pressure will increase, you will call me names and delete this email and post. You likely won’t forward it to anyone, unless perhaps to tell someone, “Can you believe what this guy says?” and even then, you may discover that the person you forwarded it to will agree with me and disagree with you. Then that would be a mess.
Here is the question: “Are you a person who is on time, or are you a person who is typically late?” That’s it, unpretentious and to the point. Ideally, the answer is simply one or the other, except that I’m guessing some may say, “I try to be on time, but I’m so busy.” The honest ones among us will just say, “I’m almost always on time,” or “I’m usually late.”
Without reading ahead and without thinking about it, please make a list of five of the following: The most valuable traits, habits, possessions, or nontangibles I can think of are…(fill in the blank). Click on this link:73tGe3JE5IU to play a looping Jeopardy timer with music while you do this if you wish. Listening to the Jeopardy timer music brings back pleasant memories, doesn’t it? When you are finished, scroll down to continue reading.
Here’s my list, in order of importance:
Faith
Time
Health
Relationships
My individual moral and performance character skills
Obviously, there is no right or wrong with the list you put together or my list. However, what I listed reveals something about me, and if others could view your list, it would reveal something about you. Do you agree? Let me break down my logic for choosing my list, in the order that I did. Then you can consider it and decide whether you like my list or not. Just because you don’t like it does not make me wrong. If you remember a post of mine from a few weeks ago, I described how, at the end of the day, what’s important is the outcome, that is, a favorable result of our actions. So, if the things you listed on your list help you obtain the outcome you desire or the results you want, then that means the list you put together is good for you. On the other hand, if what you listed as important does not gain you what you desire, then we might need to reconsider. Plain and straightforward enough. Would you agree?
Here's what I think:
Faith: One’s faith is for eternity. As such, there is nothing more important than that. While you may not be a person of faith at the moment, it is something you can acquire, and at some point, you may draw on your faith to carry you through a rough time. There’s an old saying: "There are no atheists in foxholes." This refers to a type of prayer called a “foxhole prayer,” and refers to a desperate, crisis-driven prayer often made by people facing extreme fear or danger, like soldiers in a foxhole during combat, who turn to God as a last resort, making pleas or bargains for rescue. Have you ever prayed a foxhole prayer? I think if we are honest with ourselves, we all have at least once in our lives.
Time: There is only one thing that we can never replace or get more of, and that’s time. Once today is gone, it’s gone forever. If we are productive in our use of the time we have, then we, and perhaps others, will benefit from it. If we waste it, then that’s it, it’s gone forever and nothing was gained by our use of it. If you want to change the world, or even make it a little better, it’s best to use your time in the most productive manner.
Health: It’s said that if we don’t have our health, then we have nothing. Mostly, I agree with that statement. If we have a terminal or incurable illness, then I 100% agree. Frankly, if this is the case, then that points even more to the importance of faith and time. Would you agree? If we have poor or not-so-good health, then it is possible, over time, to improve it. Did you like the way I added “over time” to make my point? Sneaky little thing, aren’t I?
Relationships: Humans are social beings and relationships are important. This includes, of course, the need to love and be loved. Some of us are introverts, and relationships are less important than those who are outgoing. In either case, it’s just a matter of degree, but for us to live a productive life will require pleasant human interaction.
Character skills: In the course and in my book (due out by September 30, 2025!), Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Living Your Best Life, I discuss extensively the skills we may or may not possess. While there are many, think of things like hard working, honest, loyal, motivated, and humble to get the idea. Click on the link in Note 2 to learn more about character skills.
You may or may not agree with me on any of what I’ve stated so far, and that’s OK. But what I know for a fact is that any time you may have had from this moment backward is gone and gone forever, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it. Question: Are you happy about how you spent your time up to this point in your life? If the answer is no, then Afterburner Success Partners is for you and can help.
I’m going to make a statement, in “The world according to Dave,” of course, and it’s this: How you spend your time, and if you are on time to scheduled events, tells the world a lot about you. I even question a person’s ability to be successful in life if they are unable to manage their time or be on time. There, I said it.
The quote above is from Peter Drucker, often called “The Father of Modern Management,” and one of the people I have great admiration for. Click on the link in Note 1 to learn more about Mr. Drucker. If you think I am out on a limb with my belief about time and being on time, Google “famous quotes about being on time,” and look at the list of noteworthy people who have opinions on this. If you are one who is habitually late, you probably know it is a bad habit, and you probably struggle with managing your time in general. There, I said that too.
I’m not trying to make you mad
So I realize what I’ve said could upset some folks. That’s not the intention, of course, but it is a call to self-assess your habits to see if they are habits that help you or hurt you. Because at the end of the day, being on time tells yourself and others that you recognize and value not only your time, but other people’s time as well. And it speaks to others and says, “I can manage my time, therefore I can manage tasks or projects that make me or others more productive.” I’m guessing you know what I mean.
See if you relate to these examples
We have a membership to Costco. I love that place. I know that anything and everything I buy there will be of very high quality and at an excellent price. And if something is wrong or you simply don’t like it, just return it for a full refund, no questions asked. This is what we call good value and explains their stock appreciation over the past 15 years. What stock appreciation? Google “Costco stock history” and note that in September 2010, the stock price was at $57, and today it is at $956. Don’t you wish you had a piece of that action? There, I said that too. OK, OK, I’m getting carried away with myself. Here’s my point. If Costco is scheduled to open at 10:00, I guarantee you can get there at 9:55 and the doors will be open. At least at my Costco and probably yours too. They are always just a little bit early and do everything right. Talk about having it all! Yeah, Costco is that.
Because my wife and I enjoy traveling, we frequently visit many airports and patronize numerous travel-related businesses. OK, so I grew up in and made my career in the airline industry, but the facts are the facts, aren’t they? And you know where I’m going with this, as much as it pains me to say it. But if you’ve traveled anytime in the last 10 years, the “air transportation system,” which is made up of many pieces and is essentially an interwoven and interdependent private company and government partnership, is probably not as reliable as Costco. But you really did not need me to, because you already know, don’t you?
Ponder for a moment, people or organizations that you think are timely and those who are, as we say, not so timely. Ask yourself if you believe there is a relationship between timeliness and success. What do you think? It’s an interesting exercise, isn’t it?
In summary
Managing our time and being on time is important, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Reflect on how you manage your time and see if you like what you get. If you need to make some changes, commit to doing that. Perhaps you need some help, and if so, reach out to your mentor or someone you respect and ask for advice on what to do.
That’s all for this week!
Victory!
What’s in it for Me
We all want to be the best we can be, and we can turn our losses into wins. Afterburner Success Partners can help get you on the path to achieving your dreams and living your best life.
Call to Action
Visit the Afterburner Success Partners website today. Purchase the very modestly priced course. View the many resources listed under the More/Books & Resources tab. Forward this email to any family members or friends who may benefit from it.
Recommended Resources
Be on the lookout for my book, soon to be published. Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi. It will be available on Amazon or my website.
Up Next
Back to regular posting schedule.
Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Peter Drucker: https://drucker.institute/about-peter-drucker/
Character Over Skills, Why Character Matters Most, The Insigntful Bean: https://www.insightfulbean.com/character-over-skills/