“Timing over Topic” For Better Results

Sep

“Timing over Topic” For Better Results

I divided my day into three chunks of time.

The first part of the day I create.

For example, I do my best writing between 8-10am (The Front Row Factor book is coming soon!). It took me a while to figure this out. Some of my heroes write between Midnight at 3am, and other between 4-7am. Neither worked for me. I question my ability to write in general. Then I found the sweet spot and r
ealized the key was time of day, not the writing itself.

The second part of the day, I connect.

I found that putting time mid-day to make or take calls and connect with people was perfect because talking to people charges me up. It sounds counter intuitive, but I schedule connection for a time when I need energy, not when I have tons of it.

The third piece of my day is celebrating.

This is very simply a review of what went well. This is the time to share gratitude, journal, and reflect. I also love heading out for a trail run around 3:30pm. I know many believe in getting their workout in first thing – for me in the morning, my brain is on fire, so I use that to create. At the end of the day, exercise
charges me up for family time when I get home.

What are the most important activities of your day and are they taking place at the ideal times for you?

What can you experiment with to see if you get even better results?

Remember that what worked for you in the past might not be working as well now.
Sometimes we need to shake things up just to see what happens.

This “Timing Over Topic” philosophy has also played a major role in my personal life.

After a long day when the kids are finally tucked into bed, around 9 o’clock at night, my wife and I often use this quiet time to talk about important stuff. I noticed that friction was higher late at night. Having deep conversations when we’re both totally exhausted wasn’t working.

I then tried first thing in the morning, but that was a disaster also. My wife would come walking down the stairs, and I’d be hitting her with big questions and topics because I was up at 5 o’clock operating at a level 10. Our energy wasn’t aligned. The friction wasn’t about the topic — it was about the timing.

Now, we plan our deeper conversations at times when we’re both feeling charged and have the mental energy to fully engage. Having the patience to address topics at the right time can save you and others from unnecessary pain.

How has TIMING OVER TOPIC played out in your life? I look forward to your comments below.