Source: Jarel Cockburn Flickr
Your time is the most valuable thing you have to offer anyone. If you are like many people these days, you have multiple ways to spend your day, but I have to make you aware of some very dangerous people who are trying to steal your time from you. The Time Leeches.
They ask you to meet with them to discuss “business” or their new “venture” or their new “job”. These people are everywhere and if you are not careful you can get caught in their web. I always knew who these people were in my life, but a part of me always wants to see where I could help people build their dreams. As my professional responsibilities have increased and have become more global, the value of my time can be clearly measured and associated to revenue. I know what my time is literally worth. So, time to reevaluate! I follow this simple 3 question model before I schedule anyone for a meeting:
- Is this person credible? What does their CV tell me? Can they show results?
- What have they put into their own idea {i.e. business plan, initial investment…}? If they haven’t put in anything yet, I certainly won’t put in my time!
- What does my gut say? I trust myself implicitly; my experience and knowledge is usually the most accurate filter.
- What will be the outcome of this meeting? There need to be a clear path to revenue.
- Have we identified an agenda that will facilitate the desired outcome? No time for BS.
But back to the people who have been able to leech my time…Not anymore, it was my fault, I let them take it from me. I booked the meetings with them and I did not set an agenda for the meeting. I did not give them a time limit. I did not stop, get up and walk out when I knew I should have. I am just a little pissed that I can’t get that time back. I know exactly what I could have done with those minutes or hours…I know exactly what that time was worth.
Can you identify the people in your life who waste your time? What do you plan to do the next time they want to take something you can’t get back? Do you know how much your time is worth?
Try.Fail.Grow.Succeed.
Jarel
