Age of Speed

The tips below will help you identify your own personal set of values and experiences that give you joy. Choose from words like connection, challenge, contribution, intimacy, learning, integrity, service, love, leadership, peace, excitement, variety, problem solving and other words not listed here. Are you spending your time that reflects your values? Then, think about ways to cut time where you can and how to give more time to the things that matter most. Throw out old ideas about the divide between work, home, and leisure time and identify ways to put your passions into everything you do. Finally, think about how interruptions and multi-tasking affect your work and life, and learn how to control and prioritize your time.

Identify Your Values and Key Experiences

Spend Extra Time on Significant Experiences – Make sure you spend your extra time on rewarding experiences. Frequently, when we reduce the time it takes to do something insignificant, we end up using the saved time on yet another insignificant activity. Use the time saved to reward yourself. Predetermine before work or routine personal tasks to spontaneously reward yourself for finding a faster way to do something.

Example: One of Michelle’s values and key experiences is connection. When she saved herself an hour with online grocery shopping she rewarded herself with a phone call to a friend and a business contact she hadn’t been making time for.

Be Conscious of Bonus Time – If you figure out a way to save time at the bank and the grocery store, for example, do you earmark that time for something rewarding, or do you just fill that time passively with other responsibilities that pop up?

Example: Spencer uses the self-checkout kiosk at the grocery store and saves himself from standing in line for ten minutes. He then takes a moment to think how he will fill that extra time. Spencer decides to hand write a thank-you note to a neighbor who stored his mail and newspapers while he was away last month.

Use Speed for More Passionate Pursuits – The key to using speed effectively is identifying the difference between repetitive chores and passionate pursuits. If you have something you love, that you have a passion for – painting, playing music, high-level mathematics – you may want to immerse yourself in the full experience each and every time. But you should use every trick you can find to speed up things you don’t feel passionate about, like cleaning the windows or running errands.

Example: Pria made a game of looking for ways to make any process more efficient. The game had one goal. Use time wisely. How can I save time, no matter how small? In the kitchen she learned the preset buttons on the microwave and saved a few seconds each time she needed to heat something up. In the cutlery drawer she reserved four slots to hold a table setting. When it was time to set the table she saved a few more seconds. On the fridge she posted a list of groceries that she typically ordered. When she was close to running out she put a check mark beside the item. This saved her a few minutes of having to take stock before dashing off to the store. Pria also used to do the dishes while she sat her kids in front of the boob tube. Now, she fills the sink full of hot water, soaks the dishes and does them after she puts the kids to bed. In that time she played games and read them books. It made her feel good because she had more quality time with her children while saving water from rinsing each dish for the dishwasher and scrub time on the pots.

Identify Value Relative to Speeding Up – When choosing the best opportunities for speeding up, consider the value of both the experience leading up to the end (e.g., standing in line) and the value of the end (e.g., paper towels or a concert). When the value of both is small, it is a good opportunity to use speed. On the other hand, when the value of one or both is significant, speed may compromise the pleasure you get from the experience. You don’t always have to go fast. The Age of Speed is about looking for the best use of our time to maximize the experience of life.

Example: Hanna has to deliver a package across town. The best use of her time might be hiring a courier. But today Hanna is picking up her teenage son from band practice at about the same time, and his favorite pizza place is near her destination. The extra time it takes to deliver the package herself and the opportunity for dinner together buys her extra “talk” time in the car with her child, even though a courier would have accomplished the task more quickly.

About the Author:  Vince Poscente knows a little something about focus, commitment, and defying the odds. At age 26, he decided to take up speed skiing and pursue it competitively. Only 4 years later, he was vying for Gold in the Winter Olympics. Now an internationally sought speaker and consultant, Vince is the founder of Be Invinceable Group.

To view a short video of Vince Poscente talking about his concepts go to:

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ISBN: 978-0-345-50619-

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