In one of my favorite movies there is a sentiment that resonates for me this time of the year. “Your heart is like a clock measuring time. One’s emotional state determines the flow of time. It speeds it up or slows it down. Bad things seem to last longer than the good ones but good things just seem to fly by.”
So how fast is your clock ticking?
When someone says “Where did the year go” I apply that sentiment and hear “I had a great year. I was happy this year”.
I love to have people come into my office and say “I can’t believe it’s 5:00. It feels like I just got here.” That tells me that they were busy in a good way; they have enjoyed what they have done. Time has slipped by.
When I think back on this past year it makes me smile, I have made great memories. My clock is running fast… most of the time.
One of the things that slows down my clock is having to be defensive. I have to be ready to respond to changes, many of which are unforeseen. It can be hard to find that “happy place” when you must be alert to an ever changing world of regulations. You really need time travel to move forward to what will be so you can then move forward with omniscience.
My professional challenge for next year is to find a way to keep my clock running fast; to make time fly by. I will need to change my approach to what I do to especially to account for things that could, and in many cases do, slow my clock down.
As the renowned drummer Freddy Gruber said “The approach to what you do results in what you get.” My new approach will have to make my clock spin faster in those situations.
So for the next year I hope your clock runs fast. The more oblivious you are to time the better the chances of leaving smiles behind.