Since we can’t manage time, all we can do is to work towards increasing our leverage.

The first step to increasing leverage comes from superior thinking as thought precedes action. Our society pays a premium for action as compared to thinking.

Why?

Simply because thinking is invisible and action is visible.

You can’t make out that a person is thinking by looking at him or her. So thinking is typically not work. However, you can always see someone who is in action. So being in action is work. So if you want validation from the society that “you are doing something” than you better be in action. Otherwise, you may get asked something like “Are you OK”, “Is everything all right” or “Is something wrong” when you are in “thinking” mode.

Think about it – your general operating model is to make promises and fulfilling them. And repeating it all over.

So, in effect at any point in time you are in the execution mode for one or more of your promises. The promises may be something that you make to yourself or to someone else.

The typical execution path is think quickly and start acting. Because shallow thinking leads to shallow execution, you quickly start thinking again but you are itching to start acting. You got to – otherwise someone might think you are not doing anything 🙂 So you start getting into action. And then, you go back to thinking and then action..

The optimal execution path would be think in a superior fashion and then act. However, it is not easy as the society wants you to be acting not JUST thinking 🙂

Starting to think differently about fulfilling your promises is the first step to increasing your leverage.

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Note: My latest manifesto on ChangeThis was published on August 8, 2007. Today it is ranked #40. I am overwhelmed by the support for this. Thank you. Please take a look when you have a moment:
ChangeThis Manifesto: Making the Most of Your Time: Going Beyond To-Do Lists