“It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that.
It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
—Paul “Bear” Bryant
As busy as people are, chances are they’re not busy fulfilling their purposes—they’re just busy. The apostle Paul warns us, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16, NIV). I like how some translations of Ephesians 5:16 say, “Redeem the time.” If you think about turning in or “redeeming” a coupon in exchange of a product you understand the idea of redeeming wasted time for moments that build a life, create a future, and allow you to fulfill your destiny.
You need to realize that time is either working for you or against you. Perhaps this is clearest when it comes to health. When an unhealthy or unhappy person walks into one of our offices, they’ve often built up some level of “medical sick debt.” Medications, sugars, a lack of fitness, and an abused, degenerating spine make every day evil, in that the person is another day closer to disease and early death. On the other hand, when they decide to really value their body and invest the time, energy, and money into their good health, they’ve now gone from living unwisely to living wisely. They begin paying off their health debt and investing in their health, and now every day they’re getting wellness dividends in return. They’ve redeemed evil, health-destroying days for good, health-producing ones.
If you live long enough, eventually you’re going to die (Insert laughter here). But, you may be surprised at how well you can do from age 50 to 100 or older. I’ve seen people who had heart disease or cancer in their fifties decide to start living wisely and make time work for them rather than against them. As a result, they found themselves healthier than they’d ever been. You can get older and healthier instead of just older.
The same is true with money. When you are in debt, time and interest are working against you. When you have investments, time and interest are working for you. Redeem the time!
Everyone’s busy. People are speeding through life, going from birth to death as fast as they can. They’re not walking through the valley of the shadow of death; they’re galloping through it! Even the retirees at our businesses tell us the reason they miss an appointment at our offices or arrive late because they’re so busy. You want to ask them: “Busy? You’re retired. What did you have—a board meeting or something?”
With society experiencing more sickness, obesity, depression, family dysfunction, war, and financial problems than ever, the big thing you have to wonder is, “What is everyone so busy doing?” We are busier than we are successful! You see it all the time: a person who is unhealthy, unfit, unhappy, and broke who is constantly on their cell phone. The next time you see someone like this, ask them, “Who is that you’re talking to (or texting)?” Then say, “If that’s not the president, your pastor, your personal trainer, or your financial planner, then hang up (or stop typing). In fact, drop and give me 20!”
Life-Time Management
It is incredibly common to build a business and lose your life. I have had to remind clients hundreds of times over that their families are the mission. Managing your minutes and your moments allows you to have your cake and eat it too.
Managing Your Time
Managing your time is perhaps the most significant aspect of managing your life. If you had 48 hours a day to get things done instead of 24, your stress would already be reduced, you’d double your customer base, you’d eat less fast food, and you’d probably even exercise more. Although it may not appear that way right now, this is possible. The time is there, all you have to do is get twice as much use out of it.
Much of your time is centered around handling all the issues and “emergencies” you face with your relationships, your health, your work, and your stressful outlook on life. In a life like that, you end up so focused on just getting through your day that you forget about getting from your day. The result of that kind of focus is more issues and “emergencies” that use up even more time.
In all of our trainings, tools, and materials we start with these concepts and create what we call, “The war plan.” War plan sounds kind of violent and overtly masculine, but we really are at war with evil days. By planning to win and not just wishing we’d win, we redeem the days. A war plan is a joyous daybreak from a long night in chains where you will be released to experience growing success in all areas of your life.
THE WAR PLAN
When you create an effective war plan, you create a future you desire. You literally strategize your time so it is focused on activities that build a healthy, happy, peaceful, and successful life. This is the key to stress management, relationship building, financial increase, appearance enhancement, and health control.
Time management “over time” will create fewer issues and emergencies, allowing you to continue focusing more of your time on what you are passionate about as well as what and who is important to you.
Is time owning you or are you owning your time?
Typically, you are not managing your time; it is managing you. In fact, the constant crises and deadlines of your thoroughly modern day are most likely determining your each and every move—and managing your time, your body, and your emotions.
When you woke up this morning, it is likely that the very first things you thought of were not those things necessary to create time for exercise, better nutrition, and peace from God. Instead, from the moment you opened your eyes, you were probably thinking of those things that were so vital they had to be handled immediately. As time went on, you most likely spent the rest of your day handling urgent issues, meeting deadlines, managing relationship breakdowns, and attempting to get to places on time.
Most people would consider this “effective” time management. They have organized their day so the most important and pressing issues are being handled first, and so they are not late to anything.
However, this is not really “time management,” it is “emergency management.” In emergency management, your time manages you. Rather than getting from the day, you are getting through the day. Most people have four activities that could be full-time jobs.
That means, to do all the things you do full time you really need to get 160 hours out of a 40-hour work week. Work mission, ministry, family fitness, hobbies, and plans for the future all deserve quality, focused time. The truth is that all people have the time, they just don’t know how to manage the time effectively. “With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Pet. 3:8). You may not be able to get up to a thousand hours out of a day, but with the right strategy you can get more done in a week, with more peace than you ever thought possible.
Discipline Is Freedom?
Discipline sounds like confinement, but it is the opposite. As they say, “Only those with the discipline to practice the violin are free to play beautiful music.” That metaphor goes for any discipline in life—with it comes freedom to express your gifts and talents.
The mission is not like playing a video game, eating fast food, and hanging out at the mall. These things give temporary pleasure, but do not provide satisfaction. The only truly permanent joy and absolute, total freedom is found in Mission Work. The life that is inspired and obedient to God is the blessed one. It is a life that goes beyond simple happiness into an inner sense of peace and fulfillment. Schedule your time—and become free!
Have fun (planning) to save the world
Dr. Ben
