The Gold Medal Ingredient: Time
David Karasek
Olympic Swimmer & Motivational Speaker | Helping competitive swimmers overcome pre-race anxiety | Founder of the MindGym | Happy Dad & Husband ??????
You've probably heard the saying, "Time is money." But as an Olympic swimmer, I've discovered that time is more than just currency - it's the secret ingredient to success. It's the difference between standing on the podium with a gold medal around your neck and watching from the sidelines.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. But here's the important shift in perspective: it's not about how many hours we have, it's about how we use them. It's about being resourceful, not just resource-full.
Let me share a personal story. I used to grumble about not having enough time. One day, my girlfriend, with a smirk on her face, grabbed my phone, pulled up my screen time, and - bam - two hours a day on social media. That's 14 hours a week, or 720 hours a year! I was wasting more time than a Netflix binge-watcher.
So, I flipped the script. I started using those hours that I was wasting to learn new skills, like mastering how to get people to know, like and trust me. And guess what? My life got better. Who knew?
Now, let's talk about someone who really knew how to prioritize: Warren Buffett. This guy is one of the most successful investors of all time. But how did he do it? Well, Buffett is known for his "Two List" strategy. He would write down his top 25 career goals, then circle the five most important ones. Everything else got put on a "do not touch" list. Buffett knew that focusing on the most important tasks first was the key to success. He was resourceful with his time, and it paid off in a big way.
In the pool, and in life, the order of what we do matters. It's like making a sandwich. You wouldn't put the mayo before the bread, would you? I learned to tackle the most important tasks first. This strategy wasn't just more successful (by a mile!); it also helped me stay cool under pressure.
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The lessons from the pool have splashed over into all areas of my life. When I'm under the gun and putting out fires all day, I've learned to identify the ONE THING that - if accomplished - makes everything else in life easier or irrelevant. And then all I have to do is that ONE THING. Simple.
That saves HOURS PER DAY!! And literally weeks per year. It's crazy because it compounds so quickly.
I know it works because we've proven it so many times. The question is: Do you want to free up 2 hours of your time every day? And what would you be doing with the extra free time that you get back each day?