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Can I Master Time? The Art of Timing, Turbulence & Becoming the Captain of Your Life

 


There is a great misconception that we can somehow master time. If that were true, I would have personally paused at least a hundred times on Mondays in my career. Yet we all know the truth: you cannot master time; you can only master yourself within time. Time keeps moving. It does not negotiate. It doesn’t call a meeting. It doesn’t apologize when you are not ready. It simply marches on.

And within that journey, something fascinating happens. You can observe two people starting in the same place, with the same opportunities, same age, same environment — yet twenty years later, one has gained impact and wisdom, while the other has drifted, risen, fallen, stagnated, or collapsed. The difference is not time. Time is neutral. The difference is how they navigated the ups and downs.

Have you ever watched a heart monitor in the ICU? When the heart is pumping, the graph rises and falls, then rises and falls again. Movement. Turbulence. Life. But when the line stays flat — silent and straight — that’s death. It’s funny how many of us pray for a straight-line life: no trials, no disruptions, no storms. Yet a straight line means you’re no longer alive.

Life is supposed to rise and fall. The waves are part of the design.

The question is this:
Will you become the captain of your ship and navigate through the waves, or will you sit there hoping the sea stays calm forever?

Today, I want to share three truths about timing — truths that can help you rise, not drown; grow, not stagnate; and live with intention, not confusion.

Truth 1. There Are Only Three Kinds of People in the Ocean of Time

Over the years, in coaching and in life, I’ve noticed that time reveals three types of sailors:

The Surfers (The Ones Who Forge Ahead)

These are the people who embrace the waves, knowing that a big wave is both a risk and an opportunity. They paddle hard, position themselves, and when the wave rises — even the one that looks like it might swallow them — they ride it with courage. Whether the wave is rising or falling, they stay in motion. They keep learning. They know that “up” will fall and “down” will rise again. These people do not escape the challenges — they surf them.

The Hopers (Those Who Avoid the Storm)

These are the ones who pray endlessly for a calm sea — forgetting that calm seas never made skillful sailors. They know storms are part of life, but spend most of their time hoping it all stays peaceful. They mistrust turbulence instead of learning from it. They want growth without friction. Life doesn’t work that way. Oceans need currents. Trees need wind. Muscles need resistance. And humans need hardship to develop wisdom.

The Marooned (Those Who Have Given Up)

These people have secured their boats, discarded the paddles, and are simply waiting for life to end. They’re convinced nothing will ever get better. Everything appears dark, hopeless, and heavy. And I understand — many of us have been in this place. Life can cut deep. A season can shatter your spirit.

But the marooned only need one thing to rise again: a renewed sense of meaning. One good wave can resurrect a dream. One mentor. One moment. One revelation.

None of these categories is fixed. We all move across them depending on the season. The key is to recognize where you are — and intentionally shift back to being the surfer.

 

Truth 2. Timing Is Divine — And It Can Make or Break Destiny

Let me tell you. Usain Bolt is the fastest man in history, but if he steps out of the blocks even one second before the gun, he is disqualified. His speed does not matter. His talent won’t save him. One second early — and he’s out. One second late — someone else wins.

That’s how life works.

Some of us rush to get things before the right time. We try to force certain outcomes. We want to shine before we've been shaped. We desire the blessing before the discipline. Then we wonder why everything falls apart.

I once read an insight that changed my entire outlook. The devil asked Jesus to turn stones into bread when He was hungry — and He refused. Yet later, Jesus multiplied bread to feed a multitude of thousands. Same miracle. Different intention. Different timing.

The wrong thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.
The right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing.
Only the right thing at the right time manifests destiny.

Life has seasons:
There is a time to plant.
A time to water.
A time to wait.
A time to harvest.
A time to store the seeds.
And a time to plant again.

But many want to harvest during drought. Many want applause during preparation. Many eat the seed meant for the future, and then blame life for not giving them a second harvest.

Timing is spiritual. Timing requires listening. Timing requires patience.

Sometimes, God delays certain things because the version of you that will handle them well is still under construction.

Truth 3. Contentment Is the Art of Surfing Through the Storm

Let’s be honest, one of the hardest things in life is being grateful during hard seasons. When you’re facing failures, rejections, financial anxiety, heartbreak, delayed dreams — gratitude feels like a joke.

But hear me: contentment is not passiveness. It is positioning.

Contentment is not saying “I’m fine with nothing.”
Contentment is saying, “I will grow where I am, even before I get where I want.”

It is knowing that life is warfare, not a funfair. It is choosing to surf the storm, not pretend the storm doesn’t exist.

There are seasons I wanted to quit everything. Seasons where I felt like I had given, prayed, tried, fought, sacrificed, and still had nothing to show. And in those seasons, do you know what I wanted most?

A straight-line life. No ups, no downs. Just peace.

But every time life flattened, I felt even more lost. Why? Because we are not designed for stagnation. Growth comes from pressure. Wisdom comes from friction. Greatness comes from the heat of refinement.

Like silver in fire, your impurities rise to the surface during hardship: your fear, pride, ego, avoidance, procrastination, wounds.

But that is the beauty. Hard seasons show you what needs to be healed. And when you face the waves — not run from them, not deny them — you become stronger, braver, and clearer.

Contentment is standing in the storm and saying, “I am not finished yet. This wave is part of my training.”

Conclusion: Becoming the Captain of Your Life

You cannot master time.
But you can master your posture.
You can master your timing.
You can master the waves.
You can master the meaning you assign to the season you’re in.

Life will rise.
Life will fall.
The question is: Will you rise and fall with it, or will you stagnate wishing for calm seas?

If you’ve read this far, here is your call to action: Navigate your season deliberately.

Ask God for timing.
Face the waves with courage.
And commit to becoming the surfer of your own destiny.

 


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