The Clock Is Ticking — But So Are Our Minds

I once watched a player miss a game-winning free throw because he waited too long to shoot. Same with my cousin who missed his connection in Chicago because he was ‘just checking one more thing’ on his phone. There’s a pattern here: we’re not bad at planning. We’re great at delaying the inevitable.

This isn’t about laziness. It’s about anxiety dressed up as control.

The 6:20 PM Myth

The sign says “Flight Departs 6:20 PM.” You know that means you should be there by 5:15 — ideally earlier if you’re not flying with Delta or Ryanair. But no. You linger. You scroll. You sip your third coffee like it’s an act of rebellion.

And then — dread — the boarding call hits.

It’s not panic that drives us; it’s denial. We keep telling ourselves, “I can still make it.” Like time is elastic and airports are forgiving.

Time Isn’t Real (But Pressure Is)

In the NBA playoffs, players don’t get extra minutes just because they’re nervous. Yet we treat time like it bends for us.

Psychologists call this ‘temporal discounting’ — we value immediate comfort over future consequences, especially when stress spikes. That’s why you’re still in your jeans at gate C while someone across from you has already stowed their carry-on and is reading The New Yorker.

We aren’t late because we’re lazy. We’re late because we’re afraid of being ready.

Airport Anxiety & The Illusion of Control

I used to think I was just bad with schedules until I saw a therapist after covering Kevin Durant’s mental health journey during the 2023 season.

He said something that stuck: “You don’t delay flights because you lack discipline — you delay them because you fear what comes next.”

That moment changed everything.

When you arrive early, you face reality: decisions must be made now, baggage must be checked now, emotions must be managed now. Waiting gives illusionary safety—like hiding under your blanket during thunderstorm instead of facing it head-on.

What If We Reframed ‘On Time’?

can take off before even arriving? The real crisis isn’t missing flights—it’s building lives around avoiding discomfort. The moment we stop fearing arrival—and start embracing preparation—we reclaim control over more than just boarding passes.

The next time someone says “You’ll miss your flight,” remember: it’s not about clocks anymore—it’s about courage.