The Fifth Principle of TRUE G.R.O.W.T.H.

TRUE G.R.O.W.T.H.

Motivate.  Inspire.  Grow. 

Time:

 

The fifth principle of TRUE G.R.O.W.T.H. is arguably the most important.  It refers to how we spend our most valuable resource; time.  We take something so valuable for granted without realizing how precious it is.  We assume that we are entitled to it instead of realizing its true value.  One of my most cherished lessons learned in the Army was that every moment is more valuable than the last.  There is no guarantee that today’s opportunities will be there tomorrow.  We don’t have the luxury to wait to spend our time wisely.  If you knew that there was no guarantee that tomorrow would come, would you spend your time differently today?

 

Unfortunately, that’s the reality.  We have no guarantee that tomorrow will come, which means we must appreciate what we have in this moment; an opportunity.  An opportunity to live the most valuable life we can by spending our time on what makes us happy.  Regardless of what your goals are each of us have 86,400 seconds, or opportunities, in every day.   Regardless of how rich or poor we are, this resource is equal.  You can’t buy more time.  The difference between those who are successful on their journeys and those who aren’t, is how they spend their time.

 

Do we spend it chasing our dreams or watching them slip away?  Are we willing to treat each moment as more valuable than the last?  Do we realize how incredible the opportunities before us are?  I challenge you to start treating your life like an hour-glass.  Once you flip it over, the race is on!

 

Enjoy your time but use it wisely.  It is YOUR choice how you spend it.  You must make time to chase the growth you want in life.  It won’t fall in your lap.  You must choose what to spend your time on depending on what brings you the most value and happiness.

 

Consider this, if you had more time in your day, what would you spend it on?  Would it be more time with family?  Would you spend more time at work?  Is it an hour each day at the gym?  Would you use it to start pursuing your goals?

 

The time is there, you just may have to make sacrifices to find it.  Budget your time like you would budget your money.  Treat it like gold.  Appreciate it’s worth and you will reap the reward.  You want to spend that hour at the gym?  That may mean you get one less hour of sleep.  You want to spend more time with your family?  You may have to leave the office an hour early.  That is what TRUE G.R.O.W.T.H. is.  The ability to make choices based on what brings us value, especially when it’s hard.  Seeking a better version of ourselves is what stimulates TRUE G.R.O.W.T.H.

 

Still don’t think you have enough time in a day to spend it on what you want?

 

What would you say if I could carve out an extra 5,475 minutes out of your life each year for you to do whatever you wanted with?  That is 91.25 hours.  Would you believe me?  Would that be enough to give you a head start on whatever it is you wanted more time for?  You probably laughed at that idea wondering where I would find the time…

 

Let’s see.

 

5,475 minutes / 365 days in the year = 15 minutes a day.

 

That’s right.  If you spent 15 minutes a day on whatever it is you “needed more time for”, that would be 91.25 hours each year spent more effectively and in turn, making you happier.  That doesn’t seem so bad does it?  I promise you, start with 15 minutes a day and it will become contagious.  You will begin finding time in your day you never knew you had.  What if you spent 30 minutes a day towards this goal?  That would be 10,950 minutes or 182.5 hours each year.  What about an hour?  21,900 minutes or 365 hours!  You get the idea.

 

Don’t have the time?  Bullshit.  Make the time.

 

Time is more valuable than any currency.  If used correctly it will change our lives.

 

Timothy A. Natale