Punctual And Positive: Ten minutes early beats one minute late. Plus, it gives you time to say ‘howdy’ and catch up on what’s ‘great’!
Punctual and Positive: The Ten-Minute Trick That Outshines a Last-Minute Sprint
Ever met someone who floats in on a breeze, completely composed, as if the universe personally aligned just for them?
Now meet Nearly-Late Nate—sprinting in, papers flying, one shoe half-on, shouting “I’m here!” like an Olympic event.
The difference between the breeze and the blizzard?
✨ Ten magical minutes.
Being ten minutes early doesn’t just beat being one minute late—it gives you time to breathe, connect, and toss out a ‘Howdy!’ like you own the vibe.
1. Ten Minutes That Flip the Script
Let’s break it down:
Running late = chaos. Running early = composed and ready for greatness.
That small buffer turns frantic fumbling into focused finesse.
✅ Review notes. ✅ Shake off the “Where are my keys?!” energy. ✅ Show up like a boss—even if you’re not one.
2. Small Time Window. Big Human Window.
Showing up early lets you do the most radical thing of all: connect.
“Hey, what’s good today?” “Catch any wins this week?”
Suddenly, you’re not just punctual—you’re approachable.
And that five-minute chat? It builds trust faster than a thousand Slack messages.
3. ‘Howdy’ Beats ‘Hurried’
Let’s talk entrances.
You can be Rushed Rita, tumbling in frazzled, breathless, and apologizing. OR ✅ You can be Calm Carla, strolling in confidently, saying “Howdy!” with *a vibe that says, ‘I’ve got this—and maybe even snacks.’
And if you follow it up with: “What’s something great going on today?”
Congrats—you’re officially everyone’s favorite energy.
4. Small Shift, Big Energy
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
Want to be the person who walks in grounded, glowing, and a step ahead?
Just pretend everything starts ten minutes earlier than it does.
✍️Note to Self: Ten minutes early isn’t about the clock. It’s about calm, kindness, and connection—and owning your arrival.
The FUNomenal™ Finale: Try It: The Ten-Minute Challenge
For one week, show up ten minutes early.
✨ See how it shifts your energy, interactions, and whole day.
❓ Did you dodge the drama? ❓ Did you spark more ‘great’ than ‘late’?
Either way—I’m cheering you on from the early crowd!
AI Sidekick Alert: This post was unpacked and given a touch of FUNomenal™ sparkle with the creative assistance of my behind-the-scenes AI brainstorming buddy!
About Tony
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Tony Brigmon | Speaker—Emcee | TonyBrigmon.com
Tony Brigmon is a party animal. He’s been known to stay up well past nine o’clock drinking root beer and telling G-rated jokes. Sure, the neighbors complain, but that doesn’t stop him. Because Tony is serious about having fun. Serious fun, with serious results.
As a result of his questionable spelling skills, Tony learned at an early age that his name spelled backward is “YNOT.” As in, “YNOT take a closer look at his book?” Or “YNOT smile when you should be crying?”
Tony was a Southwest Airlines “Insider” and the former “face” of their renowned culture as their official “Ambassador of Fun”. At Southwest Airlines, “fun” was the power of “positivity” that helped catapult a small carrier into a force that changed the airline industry.
Today, Tony is a popular speaker, emcee, and author of The FUNomenal™ Workplace. (FUNomenal™ is pronounced the same as phenomenal but it’s a lot more FUN.)
Former CEO of Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam says: “Tony has a gift for blending fun and capturing ideas in a manner that sticks for audiences.” Tony’s friends say that no one should have so much fun while sober. Tony’s wife said she has had about all the cheerfulness she can stand.
“Fun” transformed this author’s work and life. YNOT discover if the serious power of fun can transform the next 30 seconds of your day or 30 years of your life?
YNOT arrange to have Tony Brigmon teach you and your team how the power of fun can help you get more done, bring out the best in everyone, and make you irresistibly attractive in your communication with others. You can do this. So, YNOT?