Issue #131: Like Sands through the Hourglass
July 13, 2007
THRIVE! Talkin'!Don't just read the newsletter, live it!Jump into the THRIVE! forum and get set for success!  Like Sands through the HourglassMatthew Poepsel, LeftBrain/Co-FounderThe other day, I was doing some impromptu research on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the man-made island community where I live. I had posed a vexing trivia question for which I had no answer: "Which is larger in terms of area - Cape Cod or Disneyworld?" (Inquiring minds wanted to know.) I was looking up a variety of fun facts, when I came across a not-so-fun fact that caught my attention. Cape Cod is constantly washing away into the ocean. (And fairly quickly.) Geologists reckon that the average rate of erosion on Cape Cod has been approximately three feet per year. They largely agree that there's no practical way to reverse or to even halt the erosion. In geologic time, the Cape will be underwater in the blink of an eye. (Of course, I don't expect to be around in five or six thousand years to sump pump my basement, so I'm not that worried about it.) The world-renowned beaches of Cape Cod are quite literally vanishing. The sand that washes away has to go somewhere - but where? In some cases, sand is carried away by water and this sediment ends up in swamps and marshes. Does this mean that a grain of sand from a multimillion dollar oceanside estate might be carried away to a lowly swamp? (Mortimer, I think a bullfrog just ate your pimento.) All of this information got me thinking about the parallels between geology and life. Just as erosion is a natural geologic process, the human lifespan is a similar natural process. It cannot be reversed, and it cannot be halted. Time will pass - that's a given. What we choose to do with our time is the only part we can control. And what of the sand destined to be transported from luxury to swamphood? I stopped to consider those around us who choose to spend their precious time with disadvantaged youth or others in need. For a variety of reasons, they choose to share their lives with those less fortunate than themselves. In some ways, there are strong similarities here, too. (I love it when an analogy comes together.) Too many people don't pay much attention to where they're spending their time - a resource which is very valuable and cannot be replenished. Perhaps they lack goals or a plan to achieve them. Some people lack an even more fundamental self-awareness and clear vision of what they want to do, to be, to have in life. While they claim that they "know they should" or that "they've been meaning to", their response is often to ignore or defer the problem. This is a mistake. Fortunately, there's an alternative. All you have to do is make conscious decisions about where you spend your time. This doesn't mean that you will always be able to do the things you want to do. (Eventually you'll get called for jury duty, after all.) Some super-easy suggestions to help you invest your time more wisely:
These "quick wins" are only the beginning, but if they lead to a greater consciousness about how you spend time then they're well worth the small effort. Considering how precious each moment truly is, we have to remain diligent about how we spend our time. Plus, if we can apply our time and efforts to benefit those around us, all the better. So let's take the time to make the most of our time. Oh - I almost forgot. For those of you playing along at home, it turns out that Cape Cod is roughly twice as large as Disneyworld. For now. |
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Coaching Quickie: Like Sands through the HourglassHow much thought do you give to how you spend your time?Follow the link above to vote for your response. While you're there lend us your feedback, or share some goals with fellow readers. Check back next week for results! Last Week's ResultsCoaching Quickie: Summertime Switcheroo |
