Make the Time

I’m sitting in the Minneapolis airport, waiting for my flight to Charleston, SC. Originally, I had a tight 36-minute layover in Detroit, but this morning I woke up to a completely new itinerary, leaving me with an unexpected 2.5-hour delay here in Minneapolis. Sure, I’ll arrive a bit later than I planned, but in a strange way, I’m grateful for this unanticipated pocket of time. It made me reflect on something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately—how I’m spending my time.

You see, instead of mindlessly scrolling through my phone or simply waiting for the next flight, I decided to use this free time intentionally—and here I am, writing this post for you. The way we choose to spend even small moments can have a huge impact on our goals and aspirations. And as I sat here, I thought about a TED Talk that completely changed the way I look at time—an idea that I think could change the way you approach your race program, too.

I hear it all the time from racers like you: “I don’t have time.” Whether it’s posting on social media, reaching out to sponsors, or maintaining your car during the off-season, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. I get it. I’ve been there. But what if I told you that the real issue isn't a lack of time—it’s about priorities?

That’s where this TED Talk comes in. In it, speaker Laura Vanderkam tells the story of a woman who tracks her time for a week. The woman is meticulous, documenting every task and how much time she spends on it. But then, life throws her a curveball: her basement floods due to a broken water heater. Suddenly, she has to spend 7 hours dealing with plumbers and cleaning crews. Before the flood, she would have sworn there was no way she could find those extra 7 hours. But when the emergency hit, her priorities shifted, and she found the time.

Laura Vanderkam uses this as an example of the difference between saying, “I don’t have time” and recognizing that something simply “isn’t a priority.” If something truly matters to you, you will always make the time for it. It's not about having time; it's about choosing how to use it.

Think about the ways you’re prioritizing your time:

• Do you prioritize working overtime, or do you prioritize performing off-season maintenance on your vehicle?
• Which is a higher priority – scrolling through your social media feed, or crafting a post that will help build your brand and attract potential sponsors?
• Would you put more priority on socializing with friends or on building connections with business partners who could take your program to the next level?

The truth is, where you choose to put your time reflects your priorities. If growing your race program is important to you, you need to be intentional about where you spend your time and energy.

One of my favorite quotes is by Annie Dillard: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” It's a reminder that every choice we make about how we spend our time has a ripple effect. Time moves fast—weeks, months, and even years pass before we know it. And if you’re not intentional about aligning your daily actions with your long-term goals, you may find yourself a year from now, still in the same place, wondering where the time went.

So here’s my challenge for you: The next time you read one of my posts or hear a new idea for growing your race program, take a hard look at how you’re spending your time. Are you prioritizing your goals? Or are you letting other distractions pull you away from what truly matters?

If you’re serious about making the time to grow your race program, I have a resource for you. This weekend, Alex Striler is hosting a 2-day virtual Motorsports Sponsorship Summit. This is your chance to learn from industry experts and marketing professionals who work with top brands in motorsports. You’ll get actionable insights on how to grow your program, build relationships with sponsors, and expand your reach.

Is growing your program a priority? If so, don’t just tell yourself you don’t have time. Sign up here and use code RACER for 20% off. I strongly suggest you make the time.