Time
I’m not a follower of horse racing, but this past weekend I stumbled upon the running of the Kentucky Derby. Of course, you have heard the phrase “timing is everything,” and that was certainly the case here. The announcers were doing their pre-race analysis and commentary. Significant discussion was placed upon the horses that all the experts and analysts believed had the best chance of winning. That conversation focused on no more than three names for a race with some twenty horses. For the two or so minutes that it took to run the race, the commentary prominently mentioned the names of Epicenter, Messier, and Zandon. During the race, there also was a graphic on the screen that displayed only the names of the horses placing one through six at any moment.
As they were heading into the final stretch, five horses – Zandon, Messier, Crown Pride, Simplification, and Epicenter were in contention for the lead. Epicenter was favored to win the race. As the final seconds of the race continued to play out, two horses: Epicenter and Zandon were competing for the lead and were the focus of the announcer. However, something astounding occurred about fifteen seconds earlier. Horse #21 was navigating a tight and crowded field mid-pack. The jockey on horse #21 timed a move towards an opening along the inside rail. It was a noticeable shift. You could see and feel the energy and effort this jockey was giving to his horse. A horse whose name – Rich Strike - was mentioned only once during the first minute and forty-five seconds of the race.
The energy and effort that was offered by the jockey was being matched by Rich Strike. It was amazing to see. They now separated their selves from mid-pack. Rich Strike picked up its pace. Just as the jockey timed the first move, several seconds later, the jockey moved away from the inside rail to overtake Messier. Rich Strike now had a clear lane and moved back to the inside. With all his effort and energy, the jockey seemed as though he would go airborne at any minute. Rich Strike continued in stride. Although the announcer appeared to not see it, anyone watching the broadcast could see Rich Strike was making its move for the lead and maybe the win. Even with seconds left, Rich Strike’s name was not top of mind for the announcer until the horse edged out in front of the two other horses.
Assuming you don’t know by now, Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby. But it was not just a matter of Rich Strike winning the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike started the race with odds of 80-1. And one day before, Rich Strike wasn’t even in the lineup for the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike was the longest of the longshots.
As they say timing is everything. There are at least two types of time. There is “chrono” time, derived from the Greek word Chronos that loosely relates to time as measurement. And there is “Kairos” time. Derived from the Greek language as well, “Kairos” as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means “a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action; the opportune and decisive moment.”
Continuing with our look at the Kentucky Derby, that event like any event in life operated on chrono time. It was scheduled for the 127th day of the year 2022. It took place during a specified time on that day. The actual running of the race lasted for a specific amount of time.
In our own lives we can measure various things with chrono time: the length of the workday; how long we have worked in a particular industry; how long we have worked for an employer; how long we have wanted to leave an employer; and how long a team meeting is scheduled to last. Chrono time’s main purpose is to serve as a measure (I will work out for one hour) or a reference point (I will be gone for three days).
More than anything, this year’s Kentucky Debry shows that Kairos time is within and yet independent of chrono time. I get it – for some this a stretch. Looking back to the definition there is so much in play. When are the conditions right? Can I influence the conditions? What if the conditions are out of my control? Am I just guessing? Is it really luck? Do I want Kairos time to just be my time of choice? Is this fate?
Great questions! I’m not aware of a Kairos time manual, but some things emerge from our example.
Preparedness
When presented with an opportunity to compete in the Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike’s team (owner, trainer, jockey etc.) were prepared. Would they have wanted more than a day’s notice? I’m sure they would have. Would they have wanted Rich Strike to run in a significant number of races to win purses, build a name, and have a better odds? Probably so. Although the biggest possible race, it’s just another horse race. The jockey will do what the jockey does every time to win.
Positioning
I don’t know what the Rich Strike team had to do to place them in the position to get the call. But it had to be something. That something consisted of days, months, and years of racing horses to put them in a place to answer the call. Even within the race, the jockey continued to position his horse to take advantage of slight openings that moved them to the front of the pack.
Belief
Certainly, the Rich Strike team had to believe in their selves. They had to be just a little crazy, ready to be laughed at, and to be looked down upon. By no means am I suggesting that they believed they would win, or even could win. I think just the opposite. But they had to believe that they belonged in the starting gate and certainly had to believe that they would give their all.
If the Rich Strike team paid any attention to or gave any weight to the critics, analysts, or oddsmakers they might have declined the invitation to the race. Even with 80-1 odds, there is an acknowledgement that there is a chance of winning. And all they needed was a chance. Filtering out the noise, the voices, the distractions, and the negative energy helps pave the way for the Kairos moment.
Whatever event, thing, action, or accomplishment you are pursuing will require your belief in self and belief in the purpose of that which you are pursuing. Others might label you a dreamer, or a bit off, or just plain crazy. To really pursue that daunting but meaningful “thing” will even have you questioning yourself.
Persistence
Finally, there are likely to be failures and false starts along the way. In the early 1990s GM introduced an electric car to the market. Whether the industry killed it off, the market wasn’t ready for it, or something else, it certainly did not turn out to be the Kairos time for electric vehicles. Fast forward three decades and manufacturers are racing one another to introduce electric vehicles to the market; and an infrastructure of charging stations are being built to support these vehicles.
In the early 2000s at least two startup companies offered a service in a limited number of cities to deliver anything to you in under an hour. Of course, those companies failed with that plan, and over years they rebranded their selves and revised their business models. The names are around but they are not market leaders. Yet today, there are different companies like Door Dash and UberEATS that fill the role of filling your belly.
We will act during what we believe are our Kairos moments, but we won’t always get the timing right. However, if we believe in ourselves, and believe in the purpose of our “thing” we must remain persistent to win our race. Don’t confuse the chrono time of your life with the Kairos time of events within your life.
Reflection Questions:
Have you been confusing Chronos time with Kairos time?
What are you doing to prepare for the Kairos times and moments to come?
What do you need to do to position yourself for the Kairos times and moments to come?
What do you need to do to develop more belief in self and belief in purpose ?
What will it take for you to develop persistence during periods of doubt or setback?