Issue #27 - Own The Clock in 2025

The Month of December is when I commit an inordinate amount of time to reading, with a goal of covering 3–5 books. It’s my reset button where I slow down and refocus my time inward. This year was no different; I got through three and will wrap the last one up in a week or so. In War by Bob Woodward (good book, by the way), there’s a scene where Woodward describes an interaction between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussing tensions in the Middle East. In this scene, SecDef Austin is described as saying, “We own the clock.”

Four incredibly powerful words that, for me, show ownership, responsibility, and a duty to perform. The text in the book was discussing how to prevent a war, but I was captivated by the idea of bringing this concept down to an individual level and pushing the envelope on how we should ‘Own The Clock.’

Every Minute Matters

Time is one of life’s biggest conundrums – esoteric, yet defined. It waits for no one and marches to its own beat. We seem to never make the most of it and always have less of it than we think. Enough of the riddles—my point is that we all get the same 1,440 minutes every day.

In the last year I can make the claim to have accomplished a lot. At the same time, I’m thoughtful about how much time was spent meeting external expectations driven by habit versus pursuing meaningful objectives that aligned with my purpose and values. What’s clear is that the more time we spend chasing external validation, the less power we have to shape our own lives. The less of the ‘Clock’ we truly own, the more we limit our ability to drive the change we aspire to create.

What if, instead, we spent more time focusing on activities that reflect our values and generate impact for others? Imagine the ripple effect of actions grounded in meaning rather than appearances. Think about how your time could be transformed if you shifted even a fraction of it away from comparison and toward purpose-driven work.

Control the Moment

If we are going to ‘Own The Clock,’ I go back to my earlier statement on ownership, responsibility, and duty to perform. The clock is always ticking, but the choices we make do matter. With all the excitement that comes with ringing in the new year, I want to encourage us to focus on being present and avoiding the mental drift that pulls us away from what we classify as important. Align your attention with what truly matters and aim to create moments within each minute that connect us back to our values and priorities, not just the ones that happen to be in front of us. The noise of everyday life will still pull us into reactive behaviors (cues text notification on cell phone); however, you own the decision on how much of your day that becomes.

Many of you who subscribe (thank you) are responsible for millions (in some cases, billions) of dollars in revenue, directly or indirectly affecting the lives of thousands of people and have the power to change the fortunes of many. That is not insignificant. And whether any of us signed up for it or not-- guess what... That's the job, and the responsibility is ours to own. Life doesn’t always give you control over the big picture, but you can control the moment you’re in. And that transformation begins with aligning our attention and intention.

Aligning your Attention and Intention

When we align our Attention and Intention, we bridge the gap between being present and being purposeful. Attention is the act that anchors us to the here and now, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the moment and sharpens our focus on what’s directly in front of us. Intention is our compass that provides direction, ensuring that our actions in the moment are part of a broader purpose. Without attention, intention becomes a plan left unrealized; without intention, attention is activity without meaning. Think of attention as a lens—it sharpens the image and eliminates the blur. Intention is the frame that gives the image context and significance. Together, they create clarity in what we see and what we do.

Happy to celebrate new beginnings, and like you, I'm looking forward to a great 2025—one that inspires purpose, action, and service.?To own the clock is to own your story—one purposeful minute at a time. Let's make those 1,440 minutes matter, together. Each minute matters.