When Is Really The Right Time To Do Something? My Ultra-Running, Barefoot Entrepreneur’s Take

Stop what you’re doing. Imagine you and your team are locked in a heated debate: Should you act NOW, or is it better to plan and deliver later? What if finding the “perfect” time to act has nothing to do with the clock, and everything to do with trust, unity, and purpose?

Hi, I’m Kevin, The Runpreneur – on Day 1,777 of my barefoot, around-the-world fundraising challenge – and today I’m unpacking one of the most common questions I get from entrepreneurs, partners, and anyone trying to “get stuff DONE”: When is the right time to take action? Let me take you on my run-thoughts straight from the diary.

Can You Relate? The Classic Timing Struggle

Let’s be honest. Whether it’s at work, at home, or in business, timing tensions are everywhere. There’s always that person eager to get it DONE – tick, tick, tick! Then there’s the planner – mapping out, assessing, and sometimes, waiting until the very last moment. Which camp are you in? I know which one I am (and I’ll tell you why it works for me!).

Here’s the Key: It’s Not About Immediate Action

When you work with others, whether partners, colleagues, or your own spouse, the real secret isn’t about when you act, but what you agree. Personally, if a task will take me less than five minutes, I smash it out right away. But bigger tasks? I thrive by scheduling them to suit my energy, often leaving them to the last minute – as long as the hard deadline is met!

Why? Because, for me, hard deadlines aren’t stressed – they’re rocket fuel. They keep me accountable, drive my productivity, and frankly, I’ve managed to keep crushing life’s goals with this approach. But I know for a fact: what works brilliantly for me could be totally wrong for someone else.

The Only “Right” Time

Here’s what no productivity guru will tell you: The only “right” time to get something done is the time you all agree on. It doesn’t matter if it’s done instantly or at the eleventh hour – as long as it’s on time and trust isn’t broken.

Lose sight of this? That’s when teams clash, relationships sour, and trust gets torched. Set mutual expectations, agree the timeline, and then trust your people – whether they work step-by-step or thrive at the last minute.

Trust > Timing

Sure, some will love the peace of a checklist done and dusted. Others (me!) feel empowered by flexibility and the adrenaline of a looming deadline. The point? Neither is superior. Compromise is king. As long as you deliver to your pledge, you both win. Let’s stop policing each other, and start building trust with clear, agreed timelines.

Join the Mission: Run, Raise, Unite!

Every step I take barefoot is for the ultimate reason: to save children’s lives, by completing the world’s longest consecutive run vlogging challenge (over 40,075km – yup, the circumference of the globe!). The clock is running: raising £1,000,000 for children’s causes. With more eyes on this mission, more young lives are saved.

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Your support means real-world impact. Let’s keep moving, keep learning, and keep saving lives – one agreed deadline at a time.

Stay positive, stay happy,
Kevin (The Runpreneur)