When a lion tamer holds a chair in front of the lion’s face, the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the chair at the same time. With its focus divided, the lion becomes confused and is unsure about what to do next. When faced with so many options, the lion chooses to freeze and wait instead of attacking the man holding the chair.
This is not to say that all time debts are bad. Perhaps you enjoy serving on your school committee or volunteering with a local organization. However, when you make these commitments, you are also creating a time debt that you will have to pay at some point. Sometimes the debts we commit to are worth sacrificing for, many times they are not.
One day, the farmer’s one and only horse runs away. The farmer’s neighbors come by to say they can’t believe it, “What bad luck!” The farmer shrugs, “Good luck? Bad luck? It’s impossible to know.” A few days later, the horse returns with a herd of wild horses, and the neighbors swing by again, “What good luck!” The farmer shrugs, “Good luck? Bad... See more