I am sorry to be a few days late with this post but a member of our family passed away unexpectedly on Sunday… my sister-in-law, Judy, who is absolutely one of the best people I have ever known. Naturally, all of us are stunned, regrouping, and gathering together as families do in times of tragedy. Losing her totally emphasizes just how precious each moment of time we have is.

My friend Mary shared this with me the other day when we were talking about what a busy day this was shaping up to be. She asked if I had ever wasted 300 seconds in a day. I said I am sure that I waste that small sliver of time almost every day. Then she asked if I had ever had a sliver of pie. Again…of course, I have had just a small sliver. In fact, somewhere in my dark history, I may have actually slivered a pie to “gone”! This led our discussion to how impactful small, seemingly inconsequential actions can add up. Next question…she asked if I thought I could spare 300 seconds (5 minutes) today for a life-changing event. My immediate response was, “Of course, to change my life, I have 5 minutes!”

When you think about it, 300 seconds may be exactly the amount of time each of us needs. Ask yourself if you can focus for 300 seconds on whatever needs to be done. I know you can do that. And…when you do, the big task suddenly shrinks in size and the start is a step closer to the finish.

You know the hardest part…starting! We’ve been there already. It’s a bit like shoving a boulder down a hill. Once you get it started, gravity does the rest. But that first push—overcoming the inertia of inaction—that first step that sets us to moving in the right direction can be a real challenge.

That’s why telling yourself you’ll do whatever it is for just five minutes is so effective. It’s an easy start. You’re not over-committing. You’re not committing hours or days that you think you don’t have to the effort. Just a sliver of time, that’s all. So begin today to invest a sliver of time regularly. Something happens when you invest that sliver. Inertia sets in. You may just find that you keep going after your 300 seconds are up. You become the rolling boulder.

What sliver of time will you invest in your future today? Grab a sliver and let your family and friends know how much they are loved and grab another sliver to ensure your time together will be as long as possible. We are here together for a sliver of Eternity. Use it to its fullest!