“Being late is not only a distraction, but it sends a selfish message that your time is more important than everyone else’s. It’s difficult to ever count on people like that.”
– Bill Belichick
Truer words have never been spoken. Being late is stupid.
Sadly, it’s sometimes unavoidable, too. Just last week, thanks to unexpected traffic and a miscommunication, my friends and I arrived five minutes late to a Moth StorySLAM and failed to get our names into the hat.
Incredibly disappointing. Completely my fault.
But I’ve also attended well over 150 Moth events in my life. Competed in 96 Moth StorySLAMs. This was the first time I’d ever been late for any of them. I hated being late. I felt stupid for being late. I spoiled the evening for my friends. But I also knew that I’d never been late for a Moth event before, despite needing to drive into New York City or Boston to attend these events.
It was stupid to be late that night, but my track record is exceptional.
Still, Belichick is correct. Being late, at least with any frequency or regularity, is selfish and disrespectful. It indicates your belief that your time is far more precious than anyone else’s time.
It’s also completely correctable. It’s not hard to be on time. It’s simply a matter of conscientiousness:
Pay attention to the time. Be realistic about travel time and the possibility of traffic. Leave early. Place the needs of others ahead of your own. Be a decent, kind, and respectful human being. Get your ass out the door, even if your shirt is wrinkled, the gift isn’t wrapped, or your hair is a mess.
You should’ve done those things earlier. Don’t make others suffer because you didn’t.
If you’re consistently, persistently late, you suck at life.
Happily it’s utterly and instantaneously correctable. Just fix it. Today. Decide today that you will be on time for all things. Then try like hell to make it true.
Someday is today.
