We’re all aware that time is the one thing you cannot buy, you cannot get it back, therefore you should make every effort to make each moment count. Time is of the essence and this will always be true.
Recently, a project I have been involved in for three years had to be canned. Too many delays and a lack of competencies in certain areas meant that what was planned three years ago was now old-hat. We were the last dog at the bowl and we all know what happens to the last dog at the bowl, he dies.
Time is a one-way transaction – you can only spend it, never earn it.
So we did something we should have done two years ago; we cut the cord and outsourced our weaknesses by bringing in the experts. Yes, it’s going to cost significantly more but, buy cheap and you buy it twice, as my grandad used to say. Which is what we’ve ended up doing.
The reason I’m writing this is that it has become very apparent, especially post covid, that we have lost the concept of time. It’s ok to delay projects or let them creep. It’s ok to show up late. It’s ok to not hit targets. Just say “covid” and that’s the get out of jail free card. I’d certainly started to accept that this project was just going to take longer and longer and I was not taking action. I was accepting the excuses. Maybe I was becoming indoctrinated into this post covid era of “ok”.
Then when I noticed a dip in performance in different departments, I realized;
Sorry, that’s not for me.
Defy the diminishing returns brought on by accepting mediocrity
I’ve spent years flying by the seat of my pants building my businesses. I should be making up for this lost time over the last two years, really throwing myself into things instead of coasting and accepting “ok” – just like I did when I started out on my own.
There was a massive correction in business, there has never been a better time to drive yourself forward than there is now.
Recently I entered into a joint venture with the one and only Mike Griffiths to capitalize on our shared love of writing, in particular copywriting.
In the US there are 130,000 professional copywriters, representing a population of over 300m. Due to the pandemic and the shift in consumer buying habits, there were 10 years of growth in online sales in the first 3 months of the lockdown. Sellers, therefore, had to make their products stand out and a well-versed copywriter, in my opinion, is the best way to go about this. This is where Mike and I blend well with our skillset.
Time is like money, the way you spend it MUST be managed
I have not only gotten to know Mike as a friend over the last couple of years, but we are also immensely aligned professionally. Mike’s story is one of trial, tribulation, and trauma which he talks about on his podcasts as well as in the private coaching sessions he delivers to business owners. Yet not once does he ever whinge at me about his worries (In fact, I can honestly say based on our relationship I don’t think he has any!).
But what drew me to partner up with Mike?
Mike absofuckinglutely understands time.
He respects time.
Beyond just understanding, he can manage it (something that he has written about previously, here it is https://mybizacademy.co.uk/how-much-of-what-you-do-is-actually-necessary-and-how-much-is-busywork )
He can squeeze more out of an hour than people can in a working day, including me.
Results require action, action requires effort, and effort just needs you to start
At the outset of our venture, things needed to be done. I’ve never experienced anything like it. In a couple of hours, a website was set up, socials, and a ten-page email sequence was written in a few more hours. Shared drives were created for us to dump our content so we could work on projects together. The Copy Ad-venture is now up and running and within a few days, we landed our first gig writing motorcycle copy for a motorcycle dealership.
I texted Mike and said, ”I’ve never worked with anyone who works at your pace”.
His response (sic)
“I don’t like fucking about. May as well just get it done”
The only time you can guarantee is yours is right now, the time for action
He’s right. No procrastination. No excuses. Just get it done. This is what we didn’t do when it came to the project I mentioned at the outset of this piece. The cost to you in both time and money for not attacking the task at hand will bite you in the ass. Put something off, another task or problem is added to the list. This compounds until you are overwhelmed and facing burnout financially, mentally, and physically. You’ll miss out on business, you’ll be seen as an amateur, but most importantly of all, you’ll miss out on your time. Time which you can’t get back.
Working with Mike on our JV has really upped my game. It has made me a better leader throughout my various companies. I have been more decisive in my actions which have led to tasks and projects being delivered faster. I don’t get involved in the BS anymore, I don’t want to hear about average, and I don’t want to hear the words “I think”. You either know or you don’t!
The time to do things is now, not later, or tomorrow. Now. Time is of the essence.
Go and attack the task ahead of you. Do so with the determination to win and the heart to continue on when things get tough. Go forth into your day with a new ethos: that your time is now and it is fleeting, so make damn sure you spend it wisely. Do the things required to achieve your goals. Hit life with new energy, an energy that tells the world that you can and will do this, an energy that lights up the room when you enter, energy that sets your soul on fire and gets you through the day.
Go forth and conquer the day. Own it. Take charge and take control.
Your time is precious and short, so do not waste a single second of it.
You can thank me now or after you’ve finished the task that is currently staring at you from your desk.
Standing out in a crowded marketplace
Mike and I have been working on a joint venture called Ad-Venture. We are writing advertising copy, social media content, blog posts, email sequences, and more.
We specialize in writing for outdoor, adventure, and experienced-based businesses. That could be anything from outdoor supplies, to motorcycles, and anything in between.
If your business creates an experience for your customers, an experience that makes them feel good and gets the blood flowing, then we are likely to work well together.
To find out more, just visit www.thecopyadventure.com
Getting a team of professionals to take care of your copywriting projects will not only make you more money but will also save you time and, as we all know, time is of the essence.