“It’s better to manage your energy than to manage your time.”

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2017-03-07) from his book, No Limits: Blow the CAP Off Your Capacity (p. 43). Center Street. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

So, what does that mean, Bill?  I’m glad you asked.

John says, “There are many capacities that we can increase, but there’s nothing we can do to expand time. The number of minutes in a day, days in a week, and weeks in a year are set. Even our time here on Earth is fixed. Our days are numbered.  That’s why we need to focus on our energy. That’s something we can influence.”

Later he says, “A former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, put a great emphasis on a candidate’s energy when he hired leaders. He valued stamina over many other qualities because he believed it was important for leadership sustainability. He also valued a leader’s ability to energize others and motivate a team to be productive.

“I appreciate energy. I grew up in a house full of energy. Dad was always working and was often on the road helping others. Mom was industrious in taking care of our home and all of us. My brother Larry worked from the time he was in his early teens. As for me, I was never able to sit still. Too many times my teachers would say, ‘John never stops talking and he walks around the room while I’m teaching class.’ I suspect that every morning when I got out of bed, my parents probably said, ‘Uh-oh. He’s up.’”

Increasing our energy capacity is a great place to start in raising our capacity.  Even at seventy, I am seeing that I can grow in this area.  I just won’t use the excuse that I don’t have the energy because I do.  My wife and I just moved.  I did it.  We made it and we love our new apartment.  But it took real energy to do it. 

Our son Brett is studying 17 hours a day 7 days a week to pass the California Bar Exam.  He says that he is going to pass it the first time he takes it.  But that takes real energy to do it.  Now he took the time to go to church this past Sunday to celebrate Father’s Day with his family and his parents.  And that too took energy.

So, is this a capacity that you need to better manage or have you given in to the excuse that you have no energy?