Every Second Counts

Just 0.19 seconds. It’s the advantage that got Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall ofthe women’s cross country team sprint in the 2018 winter Olympics a gold medal. Diggins delved into an amazing reserve of energy to push past the Sweden and Norway contenders. All her years of practice paid off as she crossed the finish line and was tackled by her overjoyed teammate. Randall and Diggins brought home the first gold medal in cross-country skiing for America. 0.19 seconds may be less than the average time it takes to blink, but for Diggins and Randall, it made all the difference.Jeff Olson in his book The Slight Edge talks about how it is the utilization of those little minutes that helps people achieve more and accomplish much. A lot of us are looking for the quantum leap, an instant success, or something that will rocket us from good to great. But, it’s usually not the case. It’s the small insignificant decisions made daily that over time that ultimately add up to success or failure. If you think today is an ordinary day, you are wrong. When Jessie Diggins strapped on her cross-country skis on a winter morning in 2016, it might have seemed like an ordinary day. However, it was her commitment to those daily practices that carved precious seconds off her time and tipped the scale to make Diggins and Randall the first ever American cross-country skiing goal medalists in 2018.Where are you losing valuable seconds?I don’t like waiting, but truthfully who does? So that I don’t keep glaring at the line ahead, tapping my foot, or drumming my fingers, I always keep a small book in my purse or car. It’s amazing how many books I finish in one year that I read only while I wait. (Keep in mind, if you’re going to do this in traffic, please use an audiobook.)This also applies to money. David Bach calls it the “Latte Factor.” If you purchase an expensive coffee every morning for $5.00 and extrapolate that out for 365 days in a year that’s approximately $1,825 you’d save. Why not make a cup at home instead? Not a coffee drinker? Or are you going into caffeine withdrawals just thinking about giving up your morning Latte? No worries. Bach set up a calculator to help you figure out how much any unnecessary purchase would equal over time with interest. (I added the link below.) My husband calculates it into MacDonald’s cheeseburgers. Nothing can make you re-think a purchase when you’re told that it could purchase a burger for every child in your son’s school.Even Jesus mentions how important it is to be responsible with those small insignificant decisions. Luke 16:10-12 says, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?”How do you make the most of your time and money?Don't miss a post! Sign up for my e-newsletter here: Lorri's newsletterIf you didn’t get a chance to see the Diggins cross the finish line, here’s where you can watch the clip: http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/watch-best-cross-country-skiing-moments-2018-winter-olympicsClick here to go to the:  Latte Factor Calculator.