I'm too busy for that!

First time writing an article so please be kind!

As a teenager I remember sitting in school assembly when the principal introduced a guest speaker named Freddy Krueger. I remember childishly laughing about how his name was the same as a more famously known horror character. I don't remember a huge amount about his speech, but his closing comment still resonates with me today.

"Its not your altitude that determines your attitude, but your attitude that determines your altitude".

Now I'm sure this is not a Freddy Krueger original quote, but out of respect for him giving me these wonderful words, i choose to not delve deeper and live in ignorant bliss that i heard it from the mouth of a truly wise man.

It was the first time that i truly linked attitude to success.

I had completely forgotten about the less scary Freddy until this week when i was told by a supervisor that they didn't have time to do a very quick any easy safety task. Then it all came back to me. So now i feel the need to share the below thoughts on how attitude really does have a huge impact on what we do.

"I'm just too busy", the perfect justification to keep your reactive ship afloat and proactive and assurance fleet permanently docked.

Saying "I'm just too busy" often feels like a valid justification, but it can become a comfort shield that keeps us stuck in reactive mode: putting out fires, responding to the urgent, and never steering toward the important. Meanwhile, the "proactive" and "assurance" fleet—those things that could create lasting stability and progress—stay tied up at the dock, waiting for a calm that never comes.

If that resonates with you, maybe it's time to ask: What small, proactive action could be launched today—even if just a dinghy—before the tide pulls you back out again?

The uncomfortable but liberating truth is: You don’t lack time, you allocate it.

Each day gives you a full tank—just like yesterday, just like tomorrow. And even when the day’s unpredictable, your choices still speak: what you reply to, what you defer, what you "don’t have time for"—those are your true priorities, whether conscious or not.

The challenge isn't time management. It's priority ownership.

A useful framing question: If someone followed me around today, what would they say I care about most, based on where my focus went? And does that align with what I say I care about?

The next time you are about to respond with “I didn’t have time”, rephrase it to “I didn’t prioritize that” and see how that sits with yourself.

and please priorities' Safety, Kindness, passion and love.

Thankyou for taking the time to read these words.

#SafetyLeadership #HSE #TooBusy #Safety