FEMI TAIWO: ATTACK LIFE WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY

STRATEGY WITH FEMI TAIWO ON MONDAY

Oluwafemi Michael Taiwo, PhD

Michael is a first class chemical engineering graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and a PhD holder in same discipline from the University of Arkansas, United States.

There is something arresting about the urgent. It is in the here and now. When someone says “this is urgent”, our attention is immediately engaged. Whether or not the initiating event is important is secondary, what determines our response is the urgency of it. No matter the number of times we hear that we should separate tasks into Urgent vs. Important, the simple truth is that we are not wired that way. When our ancestors saw a black snake, they didn’t analyze whether or not it was venomous; they killed it or ran away. It’s a simple equation. Those that went against our natural bent to respond quickly to an urgent situation didn’t live to tell the story.

We often cannot separate our lives into Urgent or Important. That’s the stuff of business books but it’s impractical. A more productive way to live is to attack life itself with a sense of urgency. Go after your biggest dreams with the attitude of someone that is running out of time. The truth is we are all running out of time. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, the world has a habit of making way for someone who seems to know where they are going. The urgent walk like they know where they are going and so doors open for them. Decide what you want and go for it. Indecision is the thief of time; procrastination is its chief accomplice.

When I say be urgent about your life, I don’t mean you should rush through life. There is no fun in being always in a hurried state of existence. If you rush to work, rush to school, rush to the market, you are not fully living. Life is measured in moments and by rushing you don’t take the time to enjoy these moments. Also, people who rush often do not have the time to reflect. This hampers their ability to quickly seize on new opportunities or spot a trend they can take advantage of. If you rush to do everything, take a look at why this is so. Can you leave earlier so you don’t have to rush? Can you cut off some of the things you do so you have time for those that truly matter?

Being urgent about life means removing factors that inhibit speedy delivery of goals. People who attack life with a sense of urgency ask a simple question: what is slowing me down? The answers can be life changing. A negative mindset, uncertainty, relationship, job and a host of other reasons may surface. They then go ahead to eliminate or reduce the effects of these factors on their lives. They do so out of the overriding belief that life is brief and nothing should rob them of precious limited time.

You already know your big dreams and the big goals you want to attain. What’s stopping you? If you remove or reduce those, you will achieve your dreams and goals faster. Attack life with a sense of urgency.