Imagine playing a crazy game of poker where there was only one hand. Everyone is dealt four cards to start. Naturally some hands will be better than others. However, the fifth card is wild. No matter how poor of hand you had to start, if used correctly, the wild card will let you win. Some players will waste it. Others will hesitate and never use it. The winner will figure out how to maximize the card immediately and as a result rise to greatness.
The wild card is time. Regardless of your race, religion, gender, income or nationality you get the same 24 hours a day as everyone else. You get to choose how to use your time, but there are only two options:
1. Waste it
2. Use it to improve your life or the life of others
At the end of the day the clock resets and you get another 24 hours. You don’t get time back and you don’t know when your time will run out. So use your time wisely.
Every fall I am drawn out west for adventure. Hunting has a strange impact on me. It makes life simpler. No more hustle and bustle. No more emails. No more conference calls. Instead I spend my time in nature thinking about the bigger pictures in life. This year I drew an archery mule deer tag in Colorado. Hunting any big game in the mountains is challenging. However, I have always believed that if I use my time on the mountain wisely I will have an opportunity to fill my tag.
This year’s trip started off in a rush. Returning to Omaha from a four-day business trip I drove to Blair to watch Devin’s football game. After a few hours of sleep, I woke, packed my truck, and headed west. Only stopping for gas I arrived to the area I would be hunting with a couple of hours of day light. I used the last light to scout and set up camp. I chose a spot right below tree line and the stars shined bright. As I stared into space I was reminded of how we take the stars for granted. The vastness and infinity of space is hard to comprehend but I was happy. At that moment I had eight days of hunting ahead of me, and plenty of time.
As the light crested over the mountain to my back in the morning I searched for mule deer with my binoculars. I was sitting on a ridge above tree line and I knew deer would be transitioning from feeding in the open to the trees. My thought was if I could catch a buck in the process then I could make a stalk. The sun continued to rise and I hadn’t spotted any deer so I went on a scouting walk. My goal was to figure out the terrain. Look for sign. Try to learn anything that would help me in the future. Just use my time.
Eventually, I made my way back to camp. Less than 200 yards from my tent a big buck mule deer crossed in front of me. He didn’t present a shot, but I readied my bow. A couple of does followed and then a smaller buck stepped out. I ranged him at 63 yards. A makeable shot. I hesitated. After all a much larger buck was in the area and I still had plenty of time. Back at camp I ate a sandwich and took a quick nap. The heavy travel and altitude had given me a headache, so I rested.
That afternoon I climbed a ridge a glassed (search for deer with optics). The sun eventually set and I headed back to camp.
That was the routine for the rest of the week. Hunt in the morning. A quick nap in the afternoon. Hunt until dark. Every day I saw deer. Every day I was close. Every day I took in views that remind me how little I am in the world. Every day I was happy and stress free. If I busted a stalk I didn’t care, I’d find another deer in the morning.
Then Wednesday hit, which was the half way point. All of sudden I felt like I was running out of time. Labor Day weekend was approaching and soon the areas I was hunting would be filled with other hunters and outdoor enthusiast. So not only was I running out of time, but I felt like the quality of time hunting was going to start decreasing (due to the additional pressure from the upcoming weekend).
I hunted harder. I spent more time on the mountain. When I got tired, I rested. Then I pushed on. One more ridge. Walk a little quieter. Then hunt a new spot.
Eventually, the weekend hit. I had moved to a new area and wasn’t seeing any deer. I decided to move again for the evening hunt. Walking back to my truck I noticed my tire was flat. At this point it didn’t matter what I wanted to do with my time, I had to use it to change the tire. With only a few minutes of hunting light available I was able to get the spare on. My buddy Tyson showed up to help. A simple 20 minute project turned into a three hour cluster.
Now I was down to one day. Almost out of time. Tyson had a bear tag so we decided to hunt together on the last day. That morning we saw a buck, but no shot. Over lunch I packed up all of my gear. I contemplated heading home. I finally decided that I had already but in a lot of time, so I might as well hunt my last afternoon.
Eventually, the sun started to set. I didn’t think I would fill my tag. I was going to run out of time. With 15 minutes of light left small buck and a doe stepped out into an opening. The buck moved behind a tree but the doe presented a shot. My tag was good for either sex, so I drew on the doe, settled my pin, hit my release and TWACK! I heard the arrow hit my target. She took off running and I tried hard to watch where she ran. I felt good about the shot, but there is always doubt.
After things settled I found my arrow. The arrow passed completely through the deer and was covered in blood. The tree she had been standing by had good splatter. However, with only the light from my headlamp I couldn’t find any additional blood. Tyson and I searched the sage brush hill side, without any luck. We didn’t want to risk pushing her so we decided to come back in the morning
The next morning, we found a spot where the doe bedded down. She had lost a lot of blood. I couldn’t imagine she would be far. But that was the only blood we could find. We looked for another two hours, and I decided to call off the search. I needed head back to Nebraska. One last look at the last blood and I started walk back to the truck. Then I noticed some entrails. Then I noticed a wide drag trail. Then I saw my deer. Or should I say what was left of her.
After examining the carcass and surrounding tracks I realized a bear found my deer first. I had an emptiness in my stomach and an eerie feeling. I hate losing the meat and I knew the bear was close. After all, there were only 9 hours between when I stopped searching and returned in the morning. I just kept shaking my head. I couldn’t believe how my hunt had ended. I was heading home empty handed, but with an amazing story. For this hunt I was simply…out of time.
How Does This Apply to Business
I am firm believer that time is the equalizer for success and happiness. Successful people learn how to use their time to improve their life and the lives of others and spend it doing things they enjoy. Unsuccessful people waste time or just never use it. If you want to improve how you use your time, try the following tips:
1. Track your time during the day in 15 minute increments. You will be surprised of the results
2. Identify high payoff activities, or things you do though out the day that improve your life or the lives of others.
3. Eliminate time wastes, and schedule time to do your high payoff activities
4. Allocate time to work, your family, and yourself. A good balance is key
5. Remember that time is a limited resource, so use it wisely
I cherish my time on the mountain and look forward to hunting season every year. After all, I don’t know when my time will be up. Until next time remember…you are going to have to earn it.