“Not enough time” is what I say to myself when time is about to run out and I’m rushing frantically to finish something. If only I had enough time, I could get everything done, especially at a high quality that I expect of myself. But often in life, we’re racing against time, or else, trying to beat it. Time is like a light in a dark tunnel that’s fading on us, getting smaller the more we get near it. When time runs out, the tunnel is pitch-black, and we feel defeated and lost.
For some people, they get things done early, to not put themselves in a position where they’re racing against the clock. Then there are others that limit the amount of things they need to get done so that they’re not racing against the clock. And then there are those that are always racing against the clock and are barely making it or are late. “Not enough time” is a constant battle for them, and to succeed, they either have to change the way they do things (i.e. start on the project early or limit the amount they have to do), or else, extend the deadline (if they can) and hope that the extension is enough.
But anything of quality needs almost unlimited time. Time is a constraint that is built in to our lives to motivate people to finish things (i.e. so that they don’t procrastinate or take weeks for what can be done in a day or two), but sometimes that time constraint can be counterproductive. If what we need is more time and not less, the pressure to finish on time can lead to details being overlooked, shortcuts being taken, which can lead to problems later down the road. It can lead to mistakes that more time would’ve enabled us to catch and correct.
For those who only want to narrow time and to increase output, their ultimate goal is the end product, not its quality or value. Whether that end product ends up being good or bad, excellent or substandard, is irrelevant to them.
But every artist knows that time is something that must be respected, not rushed. A manuscript, once finished, needs to be set aside for weeks or months before the author opens it up and reads it again. Even then, it needs editing and rewriting, and then more editing and rewriting. A painting, once it’s finished, needs time for the paint to dry and before the painter can decide whether it’s done or not. And the same goes with music, in which a song needs revising and fine-tuning, and a building, which needs touch up and maintenance after it’s built.
Quality cannot be rushed without consequences. The same goes with anything that takes time to develop, grow, evolve, and to become itself.
Fallton Havenstonne 