Time Management Tips from Captain Time

Many people wax nostalgic about their so-called “glory days”. For many, it seems to have been high school or university or some time long in the past. But were these real glory days, or are we just guilty of remembering the good parts and skipping the bad times?

Are our glory days only a nostalgic past thing? Or, if we make a few changes and change our perspective, could our glory days be right now?

Perhaps you were the sports star, the big man on campus (BMOC), the prom queen, the head cheerleader, the It Girl, dazzled everyone with your academic prowess, and had lots of dating successes.

That is not my story…😏

I am going to share parts of my personal journey here, but of course, your experience might be very different.

Let’s look at my decades from high school to now to see where my glory days might live.

Elementary School

While I loved school and enjoyed classes, there was a lot of bullying and I was socially very awkward. I was the youngest in my class so I was physically behind my classmates and was usually the last one picked for sports teams.

My parents didn’t have a lot of money. We were always well-fed and loved, but didn’t have the shiny toys and things my classmates and cousins had.

Overall, I had a happy childhood with many fond memories, but I wouldn’t consider these years the “best” years of my life.

Junior/Senior High School – Glory Days, right?

Junior/Senior high school was a little better than elementary school. The bullying mainly stopped and I had better relationships with my classmates since most of us had known each other all our school years.

Rather than being picked on for my academic success, I helped tutor some people and discovered I enjoyed teaching others – a skill that would be with me my whole life.

Physically I caught up with my peers and started winning medals at track events and was on several junior and high school teams.

And shockingly, I discovered girls!

Academic success, sports success, and girls – Wow, this sounds like my glory days, right?

Not so fast. I was still in my teens, so still living at home so not fully connected to what to do with my life.

And, will girls excited me, I was still painfully shy. Looking back at this time with what I know now, I now see several girls were interested in me, but I lacked the confidence to ask them out.

So I had a very limited dating life and wasn’t fully my own person yet. Some great memories but not my best decade yet.

The Roaring 20’s

No, I didn’t live through the 1920’s but a lot happened while I was in my 20’s.

Became an adult, lived on my own, and then had an early marriage, and kids. I explored careers first in retail, and then in banking. I experienced rapid promotions.

Relationship, kids, and rapid career advancement – sounds like glory days, right?

Not quite. My relationship was struggling, I was working long hours and really hadn’t come into my own yet.

Transformational 30’s

In my 30’s everything changed. My relationship ended, so I was free to date again, this time with a lot more confidence than in high school.

Single, in my 30’s, dating regularly – sounds amazing right?

Not quite. I ended up living 5 hours drive away from my children and launched some businesses that failed and then moved from job to job.

While the dating was fun at times, none of the relationships lasted and I am not a person who just wants to date for the fun of it.

The 30’s weren’t my best decade.

Fierce 40’s

In my 40’s things started looking up. I met my wife, Terry who I have been with for 23 years.

My confidence and skills were improving, but still struggling on the business front.

Also, I hadn’t taken care of my fitness levels, was carrying a lot of extra weight and my health suffered.

So some great things, but facing some challenges.

Flourishing 50’s

In my 50’s things were looking up. Great relationship, grandchildren, travel, and more business success. I started to exercise and take care of my body more and felt a lot better despite some health issues.

My Glory Days: The Sensational 60’s

And now we come to my 60’s in the present day. My business is flourishing, my relationship is amazing, I am meeting new friends, I have interesting hobbies, and I have puppies!

My life is comfortable and gives me great joy and laughter every day.

In truth, my “glory days” are in the present – right now.

Don’t spend your time pining for some perceived “glory days” in your past. Instead, create your own glory days right now, in the present.

If you would like help to create your own glory days in the present, check out my time management coaching program.