"Arrow" by IvanAntolic at deviantART.com

“It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.”    – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Speaking of time, I’ve been pushing this blog post around on my plate like cold potatoes for the past 11 days, half-expecting to be interrupted by life, unable, or simply not determined enough, to really wade in and get my knickers wet.

My original intention was to offer some ideas I’m trying out on how to improve writing speed/production in the Gonnabe Writer’s quest to become a Professional Writer.  And I will still do that.  But in considering what it takes to be a faster writer, I inevitably kept coming up against the ever-present issue of Time.

And that reminded me of a blog post by Tim Ferriss titled, “On The Shortness of Life:  An Introduction to Seneca,” that I think expresses the problem and solution most thoroughly.

First, Tim asks the important questions:  “How do we balance protecting time with protecting relationships?  How do we conquer guilt and do what is truly most important?”

This is where we all struggle.  Because aside from the usual things that we let come between us and writing, there are those most important things, like family and friends.

Anyway, I think Tim’s sentiments and Seneca’s letter pretty much say it all when it comes down to figuring out what’s most important in life. I think in finding success as a writer, it’s important to keep aware of the fleeting nature of time.  It helps me keep a death grip on my purpose, and thank God for that.  I may get flustered, but I’m never lost.  I know where I’m going.

So I figured before we talked about how to get faster and more productive and more successful at what we’re doing, it would be helpful to share Tim’s excellent post (containing Seneca’s even more excellent diatribe) regarding time, and encourage you to ask yourself the important questions.

How do you want to spend your time?  Do you know where you want to go?