The Simple Time Habit Every Retailer Needs in 2026
Following a house move in September, last week I got round to sorting my home office.
As I was sorting through everything, I found an old printed copy of Randy Gage’s guide, “50 Secrets of Prosperity.”
I met Randy a few years ago at one of his ‘Speaker School’ workshops in Hollywood, Florida.
He’s one of the world’s leading authorities on prosperity.
He’s Proper eye-opening stuff. The kind you highlight, underline, then forget about… until it turns up during a house move.
Anyway, as I flicked through his guide, prosperity secret number ten jumped out at me.
“You can watch 5–6 hours of television a day, or you can be rich - but you can’t do both.”
Just to be clear, I’m not here to bash telly.
Recently, I’ve been glued to ‘I’m A Celebrity’.
Easy viewing ‘trash TV’ at the end of the day.
But reading that line reminded me of something important:
It’s not about the TV.
It’s about what you choose your time to do for you.
Every successful butcher or farm shop I’ve worked with has this in common:
They don’t waste their time.
They decide.
Time is precious.
They build a promotion.
They fix a margin.
They plan an offer.
They train a staff member.
They sort a display.
They do the thing future-them will thank them for.
Not out of guilt.
Not out of hustle culture.
Just choice.
Which brings me nicely to something I’m teaching in January:
T.E.R.M.S.
The T.E.R.M.S. you run your business on.
Your Time, Enjoyment/Energy, Resources, Money and Sleep.
The five levers you control whether business feels calm or chaotic.
Most retailers don’t have a “time problem.”
They have a T.E.R.M.S. problem.
They’re spending their best hours on the wrong things.
They’re leaking energy on tasks that don’t grow anything.
They’re using resources reactively instead of strategically.
And the moment you get your T.E.R.M.S. clear?
Your shop starts to feel easier.
Your decisions sharper.
Your progress faster.
So, this week, why not choose one action that lines up with the business you want, not the one that keeps you stuck.
And if you want help getting your T.E.R.M.S. nailed for 2026, look out for my webinar in the new year.
Have a great week.
Mark
