Re-Setting The Clock

Upon touchdown on the tarmac, I sense a re-calibration of my sense of time. After 36 hours of enhanced tranquility on the island resort of paradise, Bali I was ready to immerse myself into the perceived helter-skelter of urban life. Having worked the entire of yesterday, I was still ‘working mode’ and envied those who were there on vacation.

As I ran yesterday evening, on the shores of the Jimbaran locality, I sensed that my metronome was oscillating a little too fast. My need for speediness contrasted significantly against the serendipity and sensuousness of the island. Most tourists were strolling slowly, albeit awkwardly whereas the local boys were kicking their footballs with the ferocity of goal-driven soccer players. The difference between the locals and the visitors was one group was having fun, while he other was trying to have fun.

Given time, nervous energy can be dissipated easily through activity. On Sunday morning, both participants of the Ironman Western Australia and Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon will be clocking their physical performance. As the day progresses, each of them will find their own timing and pace. The endurance race does not go to the stronger or the fastest, but the most patient…and patience is about bidding your own time.

My metaphor for life is that we are all in a queue within a larger queue. What we do in the queue determines how much we move ahead. There will be those who may cut the queue, and there are consequences when they are detected. For the rest of us, we can make the best use of our time and experience standing in line or shifting the line.

All the best to the runners and triathletes for 4 December! May you make full recovery and fulfill your personal destiny.

Leadership Lesson: How often do you reset your body clock? How often do you shift your internal metronome? When you go on vacation, are you able to relinquish your reliance on technology for a short duration? Do you bring your work home? How do you make the most of your time in the queue?