I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.

The line frames time as a tool rather than a master. “Govern the clock” suggests deliberate priority-setting: choosing what matters, resisting the tyranny of schedules, and refusing to let external timetables dictate one’s judgment. In a leadership context often associated with Meir, it implies that decisions—especially moral or strategic ones—should not be rushed merely to satisfy deadlines or appearances. The aphorism also carries a personal discipline: managing one’s attention and energy so that the day’s structure serves one’s aims, rather than allowing constant urgency to erode autonomy.