I did a fundraiser with Bill Clinton when I was president of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). This association is for washed-up NBA players like me, looking forward to the next phase of life.

The former president was as smooth and graceful as ever, and he made a statement that I will never forget.

He said that intelligence is evenly distributed throughout the earth without discretion. The only thing that separates us all is opportunity.

Wow! We in America just have a better opportunity based on where we were born and the environment we were blessed to placed. Double wow!

You know what, he is right. I never thought of it that way.

Opportunity is something we can’t take for granted

So this is how my mind works: I scoured my brain and wanted to think of another resource that is evenly distributed around the world without discrimination.

Time! Time, just like opportunity, is evenly distributed. Everyone of us gets 24 hours a day to operate. We all get the same exact time every day.

From a homeless person holding his sign at the exit ramp with his pregnant girlfriend and dog to the richest man on earth, we all get the same 24.

So, the question is what are you doing with your business opportunity and your 24? Simply put, 24 hours is a long time to get things done. Even if you sleep eight hours, you still have 16 hours left. If managed properly there is nothing you can’t accomplish in this world. We should never waste an opportunity and we should never waste time because in all actuality it’s all we have to work with.

Here are a few keys to make sure you manage your time wisely so you don’t waste your wonderful opportunities.

1.  Invest your time like you would money — only in activities that will give you a good return on your investment
2  Right time, right activity. Make sure a 15-minute task only takes 15 minutes.
3.  Always use a to-do list. It will save you two hours a day in productivity.
4.  Always prioritize your activities. All work is not created equal. High-value tasks should trump menial tasks.
5.  Get a good night sleep. Being fresh is the best way to be productive and not just busy.
6.  Beware of time thieves like unfocused people
7.  Social media that is not business-related brand building is a time thief.

If you can manage your time wisely, it is the only way you can maximize your wonderful opportunity you have right now. Time does not discriminate. We all get 24 hours a day to make our dreams come true. What are you going to do with yours?