Timing Is Everything

Time is a precious commodity. It's rare in that we never feel we have enough. It’s valuable in that it is synonymous with money. It’s expensive because the use of it can become quite costly.

Needless to say, we need to use it in the most effective manner possible. As we continue to engage in personal soul searching, relationship building, life transformations and professional growth; timing will be a constant factor in the success of every endeavor. Any game in life requires the investment of time to master it, a time to study it, a time to practice it, a time to play it and a time to rest after it.

Along with many other elements, the way we spend our time will be reflected in the final results. Time is to be understood, respected and managed in stages which we will call seasons, as expressed in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to breakdown, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Good timing is knowing when the season is right to do something. What season are you in right now? Is it winter, spring, summer or fall? Symbolically, winter represents the time for you to hibernate, learn your lessons privately as opposed to publicly. Stay in the house in the winter because you're not yet ready for the storms and tests that you will face on the outside. In the spring, you will start to bloom. As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. The rain and the storm of life's events are preparing you for growth. Your esteem, your dream and your efforts are becoming clearer and full of beauty.

In the summer you are hot and happening. Your hard work done in winter and spring has paid-off and you are at the top of your game. By the time the fall comes around, you’re ready for a change. For many the fall is their favorite season because it is ever-changing and colorful. When women are in menopause, it's often referred to as "the change." Why, because life is a cycle. Change is good. It can be a time of celebration of all the other seasons you've experienced and of those which are to come. It's a time to review the lessons learned and determine where you want to go from here.

Consider the times that we're in right now. We are possibly facing the most critical election in our lifetime. What have the last four years meant for your life and your loved-ones and what would you like to see happen in the next four years? Is it a time to keep the status quo, or a time to cast it away? Is it a time for war or a time for peace? Consider the times and what time you want it to be.

Your understanding of how to use time and how to discern the time in your life’s affairs can ultimately determine your level of success or failure. And, for the record, delayed is not necessarily denied. For instance, you may want to buy a house but have been denied because your credit was bad. Does that mean that it's not meant for you to own a home? No. What it may mean is that you need more time to save money, repair and build your credit and then come back to the table when you’re ready. It just wasn’t your time. Maybe you are extremely talented but can't seem to get a deal that is lucrative. As we learned in the School of Fine Arts at Howard University, they may call it showbiz, but it’s really about business-show. This is one of the reasons some of the most-talented people never make it. They've got to know when the timing is right for the brand that they're bringing. This understanding comes with taking the time to learn your craft on every level.

Sometimes we simply move too fast. You’ll find there are also times that you should wait, slow down or stop. Have you ever been rushing looking for something, only to discover, once you slowed down, that it was right in front of your face? Maybe you rushed to e-mail a proposal, only to later realize that you had horrible spelling errors. We must take time to take the time. There are some things that should not be rushed because a rushed job may be a poor reflection of what you are really capable of.

There are times in our lives when, if we do not seize the moment, we will loose the opportunity. It is like driving toward a yellow traffic light and losing your opportunity to move forward because the light has changed red and you are forced to stop. How frustrating is that? It is a frustrating feeling to know that you almost made it, whatever “it” means in your life. But, because your timing was off, the “green-light” moment passed you by. There are moments in our lives when we must truly throw caution to the wind and just go for it. Some people call this living in the moment. Those quiet moments can inspire even more change.

Take time, now, to find your time, your season and make the most of it.

Deya is stepping up to the next level as an author with her book
Politickin' 101: Girlfriend-Style!