You Can Do It If You Really Want To

I am sure you have all heard the saying, “If you want something done ask a busy person to do it.” This saying has stuck with me throughout my life. It goes along with the well know words I have also heard often. “You need to learn to say No.”


I remembered these words yesterday as I overheard a conversation between my son and my wife. I am not sure the content of the conversation but I heard, “Look just stop finding all those other things to do and get on with what you know needs to be done.”

MY son has always been a very strong minded character, knowing exactly what he does and does not want to do. Let me illustrate by sharing two stories from about the age of five.

He was in church attending the Sunday morning worship, which I was conducting. For some reason there was not the normal point in the service where children left to do their own thing under the supervision of adults. My sermon was in full flight. Then I noticed him walking up the aisle towards the front of the church. I paused just long enough to let him give vent. Loudly and clearly I heard him say, “If it is ok with you dad I will just go out and play. This is just going on and on and I am fed up with it.” My wife at that point got hold of him and in a trice he was out the door. I do not know what was said at the back of the door but they both returned quietly and he sat as good as gold till the end of the service.

Another example of his strong will bring me back to my main point for today.

It was bedtime for him and he was all ready to head off upstairs. I noticed the floor of the sitting room was covered in lego bricks. I asked him to put them away before we went upstairs. “Oh dad I am just far too tired.” I lifted him, sat him on my knee and we did the humpty dumpty. This ended with my opening my legs and letting him fall through with a gentle bump. He loved this silly game. “Do it again dad.” I did, three times. On the request for a fourth I said well how about another three after the bricks have been cleared away. I have never seen anything happening much faster. Very interesting considering how tired he was just a few moments ago.

Is it not amazing how we can always find the time to do the things we want to do. How equally easy it is to find reasons to do the things we do not. I wonder how many excuses I will mange to conjure up today?

This blog is linked to my other.Marathon

There is Always Time for the Important Things in Life

Let me begin by apologising that I have not been leaving as many comments as normal on all those marvellous blogs I read. I have so many tasks to get done before I leave to go on holiday at the weekend. Also I am looking after my allotment and that of Archie while he is off on holiday.


Even as I write this I hear myself say, excuses excuses. Yesterday I did have a very busy day and I did read blogs and if I had really made the effort I should have posted my comments.

I remember telling my students at exam time how important time management was. That there was never ever an excuse for not being prepared for the important things in life. It is so true, yesterday I did find time to paint.

I also remember the story of the lecturer. A lecturer at a university is giving a pre-exam lecture on time management. On his desk is a bag of sand, a bag of pebbles, some big rocks and bucket. He asks for a volunteer to put all three grades of stone into the bucket, and a keen student duly steps up to carry out the task, starting with the sand, then the pebbles, then the rocks, which do not all fit in the bucket.

"The is an analogy of poor time management," trills the lecturer, "If you'd have put the rocks in first, then the pebbles, then the sand, all three would have fit. This is much like time management, in that by completing your biggest tasks first, you leave room to complete your medium tasks, then your smaller ones. By completing your smallest tasks first you spend so much time on them you leave yourself unable to complete either medium of large tasks satisfactorily. Let me show you.."

And the lecturer re-fills the bucket, big rocks first, then pebbles, then sand, shaking the bucket between each so that everything fits.

"But Sir," says one student, slouched at the back of the theatre, "You've forgotten one thing.."

At which the student approaches the bucket, produces a can of lager, opens it and pours into the bucket. "No matter how busy you are," quips the student with a smile, "There's always time for a quick beer."

I promise before I leave to make time to leave a parting comment and maybe while on holiday to do the same.



This blog is linked to my other.  The Tempest