Do you tend to run late?

Here’s a little trick that might help: plan backwards!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched people rush into an event—out of breath, flustered, sometimes still tucking in their shirt. And the funny thing is…they thought they’d planned well. They were sure the alarm was set at the right time.

The problem is, most folks set their alarm based on when they want to wake up, not when they actually need to arrive. That small mistake creates a big snowball effect.

So, let’s plan backwards. If your class or meeting starts at 9:00, you want to be there by 8:45. If it takes 20 minutes to drive, you’re leaving at 8:25. Add traffic, and now it’s 8:15. Getting ready? 10 minutes if you’re me—maybe 45 minutes if you’re my wife. Suddenly, the right alarm time is obvious.

When you count backwards, you take control. Instead of reacting to the clock and racing the minutes, you’re leading them. You walk in calm, collected, and ready—while everyone else is still scrambling.

Today’s “Peace of Wisdom” can be found in planning backwards.