How having the right concept and focus of your time will help achieve your goals
After you read this, it’s likely your concept of time will change and you will begin using it to your benefit. How do you view time? To wake up and get to work on time? The time you have to get things done or meet a deadline? To pick up your kids from school? To get your schoolwork done? To look at your phone’s clock or watch and wish whatever activity your engaged in or person you were with wouldn’t end.? Wishing you had more time? You might say that you set a time for goal achievement. There is of course the saying, time is money. These and many more that illustrate what we think of time and how we have used its measurement.
Have you considered that your concept of time can also change your behavior and move you forward towards achieving your goals? You might think it’s how you recognize you have little time or you procrastinated; and now you need to rush to get a task done. Maybe someone wants you to do something for them that find tedious or of little interest. You complete it anyway to make them happy and you are relieved of pressure. You might feel disappointed in yourself because you didn’t stick to your New Year’s resolutions and the year is more than half in the past. All of these are related to time but it doesn’t help you have the concept and focus of your time is beneficial for achieving your goals.
Philip Zimbardo, PH.D., and John Boyd, PH.D., in their book, The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life, discuss how having the right concept of time can change behavior. Their book was first published in 2008, but you are likely to find it useful today. I’ll avoid being too detailed in case their work piques your interest. It’s worth giving a read. I will share what might help you get started on your path towards changing your concept of time and changing the behaviors that will help steer you towards achieving your goals.
A good point to begin within changing your concept of time is having the right balance and focus of your past, present, and future. Should you not have the right balance of time then you’re likely to focus on one dimension of your time and become less efficient in working towards your goals. If you focus too much on the past then you neglect the present and future. Focus too much on the future then you neglect the present and what you learned from the past. If you focus all your attention on the present then you have forgotten the lessons of the past and the potential of the future.
This is a rather extreme example of when the concept of one’s time dimensions are out of balance but it drives the point of having the right balance and changing behaviors. A a car cuts off a driver. This person forgets that in the past they have been given a summons for aggressive driving. Their irrational anger has gotten them into trouble. Now in the present, they are extremely irate and begin to attack the driver of the car that cut him off. The irate anger has consumed this man that he is no longer thinking about the future. He wants to exact his revenge in the present moment. This instance unwittingly becomes his entire life. He later will be arrested and spend a few years in jail. He forgot the lessons of his past, he allowed himself to be consumed with the present moment and behaviors of aggression and retribution, he lost awareness of the future consequences of his actions.
Notwithstanding other issues, his unbalanced time perspective will leave him with regrets as he experiences his future consequences. Had he thought about his past behaviors and possible future consequences his behavior in the present would likely be different. Unfortunately, he was too immersed in the present with behavior that was not productive and shut off to awareness of the past and future. The value of his retribution outweighed the potential future benefit of not being incarcerated and having his liberty. It’s an extreme example but it should drive the point to have the right concept of time and the role you play. It means learning and taking ownership. Insert your own experience where your present behavior contributed to losing imbalances in concept and focus of your past, present, and future time. Do you think your outcomes would have been different had your concepts and focus of time been appropriately balanced?
This example might help you move forward from a difficulty in the present towards your goal achievement. Let’s say you’ve been promoted but are experiencing imposter syndrome. Although you were selected for the position you doubt yourself that you’re not qualified for the position. What are your past successes? What are your strengths that led to your successes and goal achievements in the present? Recognize your past accomplishments that allowed you to earn that position. Draw upon your assets and recognize your potential. If you don’t see your current and future potential, then clear the path of your mental blockages. What are your possible successes? Based on your past and present performances how does your future potential look for you?
I’d like to leave you with an additional tool that I found has worked for me. It's a tool to help make the most of your present time. It is from Eckhart Tolle’s Power of Now and the pain-body discussions via YouTube content. According to him, the present is the only thing that matters. The past is gone and the future doesn’t exist. Focusing on your present moment with intensity but also clarity derives the best benefit for you. Also, recognizing your pain-body such as a negative emotion, not ignoring it, but rather identifying and letting it dissipate is effective to stay in control and remain in the present moment. I recommend exploring his material if you’re not already acquainted. I share his teachings because they are relevant to managing your concept and focus of time. The present moment fully experienced while also recognizing any negativity that surfaces will aid in maintaining your self-control. I contend this strategy would likely derive better outcomes for you.
I always like to remind my readers about taking advice. I’ve made some suggestions for you to consider. I’ve shared things that have worked for me. More importantly, I’ve shared things that will hopefully evoke you into being your own problem solver. If something doesn’t work for you, please resolve that there will be something that will work for you. The life journey you are on is unique to you and so should be the solutions you discover.
David is the owner of Partnerships for Performance.com a personal transformational coaching company.
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