When was the last time you actually watched a sunset?  I don’t mean just glancing up at the sky and momentarily admiring the brilliant colors and shifting light; I mean when was the last time you really watched this daily spectacle unfold?  Viewed in the right setting, sunsets are magical.

Days may occasionally seem long, but they do come to an end. The sunset gives us spectacular proof of that reality. As the earth spins and the sun appears to move across the sky to the west, for the longest time not much appears to happen. Yet when the sun nears the horizon, the entire process seems to speed up.  Suddenly it appears to be happening faster, yet the only thing that’s changed is our perception.

In life and work, it can seem like there’s plenty of time to accomplish key initiatives, but then you find time quickly running out at the end of the day (week, month, quarter or year).  As you approach the end of a period, time appears to accelerate. The reality, however, is that time is the one constant that was with you all along.

If you want to achieve significant goals, rather than simply complete endless task lists, it’s necessary to capture time for working on those things along the way.  Planning for them is the first part, then scheduling for them is essential to getting them accomplished.  Steve McClatchy writes about these realities in his book Decide; if you want to figure out how to make this happen in your own life, it’s worth your time to read it.  Important things deserve their own place under the sun and on your calendar.

Making the most of each day is a sure way to enjoy the journey. Done well, you’ll even have a few minutes to spare at the end to enjoy the sunset!