“Promptitude is not only a duty,
but also part of good manners. It is favourable to fortune, reputation,
influence and usefulness; a little attention and energy will form the habit, so
as to make it easy and delightful.”—Charles Simmons
“A stitch in
time saves nine,” is a popular proverb that not only illustrates clearly the
tangible gains of promptitude but also implies the potential cost of tardiness.
That pithy line is perhaps the shortest maxim ever used to convey the worth of
punctuality. A step taken on time will keep you from taken nine further steps;
that’s about 90% effect on efficiency. Wow! I hope everybody will one day understand
this simple math, and when we do, the positive practical implications on a
global scale will be humongous.
Punctuality
is one quality that is quite important just by itself but if you pause to consider
the fact that many people are chronic latecomers and late starters; in fact, this
virtue is rather rare among the majority of people. This rarity now makes the
issue of being early and on time take on a higher significance across cultures
in the world of human affairs and business.
If you have
ever had to wait for other people on a critical appointment, then I think you
know the pain of tardy disappointment; and if you have ever lost a job
opportunity, a client or business as a result of lateness, I guess you will
appreciate the message of this article more than any of my previous
publications.
Everyone
knows that lateness is neither good for business nor for life, and even the
chronic latecomers know it more so. They hate the stress and fret they frequently
experience from tardiness as described in the book, “Never Be Late Again,” by Diana
DeLonzor. And she also stated that for many habitual latecomers, the habit is ridiculously
hard for them to break. In case you are one of them, warm up, because in this
article, some practical strategies on how to build the habit of punctuality
will be shared. And if you implement
them faithfully, your new you will wish you had read this message sooner than
now.
Promptitude
is an essential element of character and integrity that is impossible to fake
for long. Tell people you are always punctual as much as you want, the reality
will come to confirm or disprove your claim one day. People care to listen and
see if you believe in what you have told them; that is, whether you actually do
it or not. And, if you are consistently punctual, you are fortifying your credibility;
that is, people will rely on you with regards to your appointments, which
invariably will spill to other areas of duties as well.
However, the
reverse is also true, if you are consistently late, you are gradually destroying
your credibility and integrity. But unless you decide to change now, no one
will eventually entrust you with serious responsibilities, and I don’t think
you want that. So let’s get to the theme of the essay.
The essence
of today’s article is for us to realize the critical importance of punctuality
and making a decision to always demonstrate that awareness with the power habit
of promptitude. The second part of the preceding sentence is not necessarily a fun
at the beach because building a habit requires attention and consistency. But
by realizing the full significance of this virtue, we can follow our decision through
to success, once and for all. Helping you realize that significance is my job
right here, right now.
To drive home my point, I have brought
for you anecdotes from the lives of two great men of the past from two totally
different cultures to illustrate the supreme importance of punctuality. And they
are: George Washington of United States and Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran.
Strict Punctuality is The
Dominant Common Factor Between George Washington and Imam Khomeini.
On the
surface, one may think that these powerful personalities from two completely different
cultures could have nothing in common apart from being the founding fathers of
their countries’ systems of government. But that assessment couldn’t be further
from the truth since promptitude is the key thing that I have found to link
both Washington and Khomeini together.
And I am
here to urge you towards that virtue with the anecdotes from their lives. Mind
you, the standard of these men was beyond plain punctuality; they truly lived
the stern virtue of strict punctuality. And I dare to emulate them to become a
powerful force of nature, in your own sphere of influence.
Imam Khomeini
He was the Iranian
Shia Muslim religious leader and politician; and the author of more than 40
books. By leading a fierce revolution in 1979, he overthrew 2,500 of Persian monarchy
and founded Iran as a new republic. His full biography is beyond the focus of
this article, so permit me to dive right into the essence of this piece.
While thinking on how
he could successfully lead such a great change, I stumbled upon some of the secrets
of his power in how he lived his life. And guess what? Punctuality stood tall among all other
principles he firmly held on to. As written on Wikipedia, Imam Khomeini was
known for his scrupulous regard for strict punctuality and predictable pattern
of living. You could always predict when he would show-up on his appointments
and routines. He would never disappoint you. And you could always count on him.
Read on for a
special treat that awaits you from the life of this amazing man of tradition:
"He is so punctual that if he doesn't turn up for lunch at
exact time everyone will get worried because…
… his work is regulated in such a way that he turned up for
lunch at exactly that time everyday.
He goes to bed exactly on time. He eats exactly on time. And he
wakes up exactly on time."
Ayatollah
Khomeini won the private victory long before he became a revolutionary. He was
reliable, dependable and steadfast.
Now the
question is, are we?
George Washington
George Washington was
considered to be the driving force behind the nation’s establishment and came to
be known as the father of America from his time right until this very day.
I also asked myself
how Washington could surpass his peers {who were all great men of the time} to
become the first President of the America in 1789. Clearly, many virtues contributed
to his prominence and success but there was one thing I found that George was
characteristically known for. You guessed it. It was punctuality! George Washington was so fanatical about punctuality that he would
never waste anyone’s time by showing-up late on an appointment and he would
frankly not tolerate anyone who does.
Read on for
an evidence to prove this in his own life:
One day,
Washington disregarded a team of special guests from Congress whom he had invited
for a dinner. They were surprised to see that their host was almost done with
the meal when they arrived; just few minutes past the fixed time.
George Washington candidly responded to them
by saying:
“We are punctual here.
My cook never asks whether the company has arrived but…
…whether the hour has come.”
In other
words, never come here late again.
It is obvious
to conclude that both Washington and Khomeini achieved greatness because of the
habit of stern punctuality above all their other habits of merit. And Lord
Nelson, the exceptional leader and British naval officer, made this conclusion plausible
when he said: “I owe all my success in
life to having been a quarter of an hour before my time.”
Three Strategies to Adopt
for the Habit of Strict Punctuality
1} Decide to Make
Punctuality Your Habit
“If I have made an appointment with
you, I owe you punctuality. I have no right to throw away your time, if I do my
own.”—Richard Cecil
To create a lasting
change, start by making a decision. So, make a permanent decision now that you
will never be associated with lateness again, ever. If you do this firmly and sincerely,
it will cut you off mentally from the act of tardiness, and instantly creates a
new mental image of a punctual personality. Then bring this decision alive immediately
with a practical action. Book an appointment with someone today and make sure
that you keep it.
This can be made
easier by remembering the immense benefits of high credibility, effectiveness
and reliability. And you will remain true to your decision when you fully
realize that lateness is a ruthless thief of greatness just as Italian
philosopher and historian Niccolo Machiavelli discovered in his time. He said,
“Tardiness often robs us opportunity.”
2} Create A Buffer Time,
Every Time
“Preparedness
and punctuality are the two of the most important qualities of a leader.”—John Andreas
Widtsoe
To be unfailingly punctual,
create a soft gap or time cushion earlier than the actual time of your
appointment. Don’t be too optimistic here but deliberatly create a buffer. Prepare
to be held up in traffic, for someone to stop you on the road or for something
to go wrong. In my experience, something almost always goes wrong, especially,
when you are just starting the habit; so take this seriously.
Always allocate
ample amount of time before the actual time for your event and compel yourself
to act by your own buffer time. This is critical! If we
allocate a generous time buffer and decisively act by that time ahead of other
people; not only are we likely to be on time but also have a higher likelihood
to have some downtime to think and relax before our engagement actually begins.
Boy, isn’t that a good bonus to have?
3} Activate Your Alarm for
Every Appointment.
“Method is
the very hinge of business, and there is no method without
punctuality.”—Richard Cecil
Create a reminder
with an alarm application on your phone for every appointment you have. This
will quickly alert you ahead of your engagement so you can start your
preparation early enough. Plus the idea is equally helpful when another problem
occurs which may consume your attention, and makes you forget. On such a day, this
practical tip will save you from having to rush out through the door at the
last minute or worse missing your appointment altogether.
Finally,
promptitude is about preparation, organization and forethought. It is the spirit of business and a key
element of civility. It
is an extremely valuable human quality. And the multibillionaire and founder of
Virgin Group, Richard Branson also recognizes its value as he said:
“Being
on time is respectful to your hosts and also means you can effectively manage
your day.”
No matter
how difficult it may seem to you now, committing to making this principle a habit
will soon convince you that punctuality is largely the cheapest (easiest) of all great virtues.
