One of the most common errors we make as we strive to achieve our goals in our everyday lives is to concentrate on the future to the extent that the present loses its meaning. We miss important opportunities to enjoy the journey along the path we travel. In other words, we forget to “smell the flowers along the way.” As we get older, we learn there is more to achievement than keeping score, more to life than work, and more to work than just the attainment of goals. We learn that the most satisfied people are those who concentrate on each day as it comes. They are more aware of their surroundings, and the joys provided them along the way.
I recently saw an episode of M*A*S*H on television, in which Hawkeye Pearce had been temporarily blinded, and naturally concern was being expressed by all his compatriots. In a scene that takes place in the “swamp” (Pearce’s living quarters), Hawkeye talks to his friend B. J. and relates that it is not really that bad. He claims that although one part of his life was closing down, another was opening up. He never felt more conscious in his life of what was going on around him. For the first time he had a chance to listen to the war. He went on to say that he had been lucky twice — he had a chance to see with his eyes, and then without them.
It is ironic that changes in ourselves bring about changes in others. As we slow down, somehow so does the passing of time. As we speed up and become anxious and tense, time seems to compress, so that we feel there is less of it left for us to use.
Time is clearly one of the mysteries of our lives, and has been a source of fascination and frustration throughout recorded history. Much has been written about time. Solomon said that to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Benjamin Franklin once remarked that we should guard well our time, for it is the only ingredient of life. C. S. Lewis declared our future is what we are all rushing into at the rate of 60 minutes an hour. Attempting to manage such a powerful, pervasive, and fluid force is like trying to navigate a small craft across the Pacific Ocean at the height of a major storm.
In his recent book The Rhythm, Richard Lonetto states that the idea of time management wrongly assumes that time is “out there somewhere,” beyond each of us and that, by putting it into little boxes, in expensive memo books, we can capture it. He suggests there is no one time; rather, there are time zones, both geographic and personal, and that the illusion of time management is that by utilizing a series of techniques one can become a good manager. He states that only by understanding and managing oneself can one learn how to use time and make it an ally. We know it is hard to stop and savor life when the struggle is great, the time seems short, and the challenge requires every ounce of our concentration. However, if we take time to enjoy the present moment it can often make the difference between success and failure — even between life and death.
On a recent trip from La Pas, Bolivia, to a mine in Oruro, along the Altoplano at about 15,000 ft, the thin air at that altitude makes breathing very difficult. At times, I found myself gasping for air, and at the same time experiencing a moment of panic and anxiety. Yet as I began to relax and take in what was happening around me, I became aware of the beauty of Mount Illimane’s snowy peaks at 20,000 ft and, as we continued to climb, a lake appeared. It was then that I saw a phenomenal sight — some 2,000 to 3,000 pink flamingos. What an experience] In spite of the discomfort, I took time to savor it.
In his book Peak Performance Principles for High Achievers, John Noe advises, “Savor the bittersweet taste of struggle. Smell the aroma of friendship. Take time off, spend time with your family, have evenings out with your spouse, do something different — your high achievement will wait. In fact, if you take time out to enjoy living, you will be better equipped to reach your high goals in life.” William Stanley is director of national mine services at Coopers & Lybrand.
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