Do you ever feel rushed, wondering how you are going to get everything done?

Deep down, there is something important you want to do, but for some reason you hear yourself or someone on your team saying, “I don’t have time.”

Unfortunately, this is way too common.

If you want to lead others—and yourself—in the best way possible, you need to make quiet time a priority. Time to clear your mind, refocus on what is truly important, refuel your spiritual connection, reconnect with your core values, and strengthen your inner leader so you can perform at extraordinary levels during the day.

Before a plane takes off, a pilot has a ritual of checking the flight plan, setting the controls, and evaluating the instrument panel. Only then are they ready to fly. A similar ritual applies to leadership.

I will admit that when my mentor encouraged me to make time every morning to sit quietly and reflect, I essentially kicked and screamed. Much like you, my response was, “I don’t have the time.”

With practice, though, I discovered the exhilarating power created from quiet time—time to think about what I am doing, reflect about how I am doing it, evaluate what is important, review where my time and energy are best spent and with whom, etc. This daily discipline alone worked miracles for my career and helped in every other area of my life. In fact, I credit this one habit with turning my life around and allowing me to become the man I am today.

When I consciously make quiet time a priority, amazing things happen: priorities crystallize, solutions emerge, and my energy level skyrockets. Not only do I benefit from this exercise, but those I interact with and lead also benefit.

Becoming a masterful leader is a journey that requires a flight plan. I encourage you to get up an hour earlier every day and spend 30-60 minutes on self-development. If you’re not a morning person, close your day with reflective quiet time before you go to bed. Call this your daily leadership ritual—quiet time to prepare your mind, body, and spirit for the day ahead.

Leverage this time to incubate new ideas, remove self-imposed limitations, raise your awareness to the triggers that cause you to leak energy, tune into the synchronicity of the universe, and express gratitude for the gifts, opportunities, and people that grace your path. Making the slightest shift in how you see what is happening around you can change your inner dialogue completely and allow you to positively influence everything you touch. It’s that amazing!

If you want something different, you must become someone different. Make quiet time a priority.