Chronos or Kairos — Which Time Are You Living In?
The Greeks have two words for time, well really three but Aionios, is normally is used for eternal, so not in our time scale!
The two words are Chronos, and Kairos.
Chronos, is totally predictable, measurable, hence Chronographic watch, tick tock, life is passing, blinkered, and at retirement, you are given a watch or a clock to watch time pass. Not exciting, no variation, just the ominous sound of time passing.
Kairos, is totally different. I would use the phrase, size the moment, grab the opportunity, carpe diem. Nothing boring here.
Kairos is not about how long you wait. It’s about knowing when not to wait any longer.
There is a huge amount of Unpredictability in business at the moment. Tariffs, geopolitical tensions, a new phrase for conflicts. Taxes rising, inflation stubborn, wages rising, profits under pressure. Play it safe, Let’s wait and see!
It is very easy to sit on your hands and simply say, we will wait .
To be sure time will pass, but importantly, so will opportunities.
Opportunities are a bit like windows, once they are open, you know they will close.
I would say Kairos is instinct to launch, leap, not because the clock says so, but because you know the moment is right, to invest, to seize an opportunity.
Whilst others sit on their hands, and clock watch, some will use their instincts to move their company’s forward, either with investment in new equipment, or use the best and proven sales tool to help them increase your sales.
For over sixty years, leasing, at point of sale has proven to be very much in the Kairos sphere, but surely you knew that fact?
The question to ask yourself is, am I on Chronos time or Kairos time?
So, every time you look at a clock, or watch, remember, there are two times to think of, boring time, or opportunity time.