Today is January 23 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is "Are you aware of what time it is?"
Those that navigate the chaos understand three things about time.
First, it is limited and no matter how much money one has it is impossible to buy time.
Second, everyone has the same amount of time each day; no more and no less.
And third, wasting someone else's time should be avoided at all costs.
Retired US Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink sets three alarms each morning: one electric, one battery-powered, and one windup.
In Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win, coauthored with Leif Babin, Willink says that “discipline starts every day when the first alarm clock goes off in the morning.”
He sets three alarm clocks because “there is no excuse for not getting out of bed, especially with all that rests on that decisive moment.”
He is, however, not the only successful person that has a high level of self-awareness with an understanding of how to effectively manage time.
On the cover of his book The Pursuit of Happyness: Start Where You Are, entrepreneur Chris Gardner has a watch on each wrist. It’s not until page 160 that he explains why.
One day, Gardner, a stockbroker calling on new account leads, was late to a prospective client.
He failed to close the account but took to heart what his prospective client told him, “Son if I can’t expect you to be on time, I can’t expect you to make timely decisions with my money.”
From that point onward, Gardner started to wear a watch on each wrist so as never to be late again.
The stories of Willink and Gardner may seem extreme, but they illustrate two excellent examples of the second characteristic successful people often demonstrate: they work hard at maintaining a high-level of self-awareness.
As you go about your day, consider asking yourself if you are aware of what time it is?