Punctuality

According to the Wall Street Journal, New Year’s resolutions are broken by March 1. I have been lucky to make it to Jan. 10 most years.

One resolution we should all make is to be on time. According to an article by Bob Greene, being on time “Will lead you to success in life.” I was strict on punctuality until I had children: you understand if you have children.

A story Bob tells is about Vince Lombardi and a clock on Lombardi Avenue in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is continually 15 minutes fast. Is it wrong? It depends on definition because it is right by Lombardi time. Lombardi’s point was that people who want to succeed should have the discipline and courtesy to not keep others waiting. His mantra was, “Always get there a quarter-hour early.”

Some people have the habit of being late. Friends and associates remark, “That is just him/her being him/her.” That doesn’t make it right and if it is their habit, go ahead without them. The act of meeting deadlines sends a message of reliability and dependability, fostering trust in both personal and professional relationships. In the Army, I often heard the phrase “Hurry up and wait.” We were always on time.

Time is finite and a precious resource so if tardiness is your method of operation, set your clocks 15 minutes ahead. Being early is a good habit but be cautious because it was an early worm that the early bird caught.