As seen in the SFBAA news letter.

I had a friend once tell me that working a 9-5 keeps you from getting rich.

Are we too busy to see where we need to go?

Wake up, make the coffee, get ready for work, help get the kids off, kiss the wife and off we go for the day. Some of us work later than others. Kids sports, social commitments, exercise maybe and oh yeah, the spouse. Forget budgets, month end close, that special client in town or whatever the fire for the moment is. Does any of this sound familiar?

In the past I have found myself in a unique position, as an airline pilot, to have long periods of time (many hours) captive in one place and by myself with no distractions. On a 9 hour flight to Rio at 3 in the morning over the Amazon, not a camp fire within 200 miles and nothing left to talk about with the other pilot, there is a lot of time to really think and think deep. It is these still moments where we really have the opportunity to be creative and to think about what is important in life, develop that new marketing plan, decide what to do about a competitor or whatever is on our plate. I know the daily grind does not allow me to think.

We all need that 8 hours, 2 days or a week with no phone, computer, kids, spouse… nothing! I have found it on vacation at a resort hotel bar and a glass of wine in the corner by myself, 12 hour drive by myself to meet my family for summer vacation, that 8 hour flight or 2 days alone in a hotel in Chile. Having that time alone to be creative and really think about where you need to go is incredibly important. It is a necessity to truly get ahead in life.

My suggestion:

Stop to think where your place is and how your mind works. Most importantly, put it on your calendar! When you get there realize it takes an hour or 2 to clear the noise from your mind. So, when you get there relax and listen to the noise as so to clear it out. Then begin to focus and get to work. Remember, it is more important than that one customer, budgeting or month end close. It is your future and how you are going to get there. Don’t be so busy you fail to see where you need to go.