The Great Time Excuse
You’ve certainly caught yourself saying at some point that you don’t have time for this or that. And that’s partially true. We all have the same amount of time—24 hours for everyone. The time is the same!
But then, why are we always rushing? Why don’t we stop and think for a moment? Why do we always blame time when we need to justify ourselves?
Let’s explore these questions together.
A Personal Awakening
Since childhood, I’ve always worn a watch on my left wrist—a gift from my grandfather. We carry timepieces on our wrists or glance at our phone screens, yet we dedicate surprisingly little time to reflecting on this complex topic.
My Journey Through Time:
I started working at 16 years old:
- My youngest brother was 6
- My middle brother was 14
- Life moved fast during those years
I blinked once, and they had grown significantly. I blinked again, and both had become working men. This last time I blinked, I decided to take time to think and change the direction of my life—because I now have some gray hairs myself.
The Wake-Up Call:
No one ever discussed time with me during those endless work hours serving people and providing them family moments and happiness. But I began paying closer attention to time and its meaning, especially when I looked in the mirror and saw someone with dark circles and a tired expression.
That’s when I decided to use my time to:
- Set new goals
- Create new plans
- Start taking action
Time + Energy: Your Only True Assets
Combined, time and energy are the only two things you truly possess. From their union, you work and create money. With that money, you:
- Pay for goods and services
- Invest what you save
- Create the most wonderful thing in the world: COMPOUND INTEREST
The Compound Interest Paradox:
- Takes years to build
- Takes minutes to destroy with one bad decision
- One poor choice can burn through an entire generation’s wealth
Learning from My Father’s Example
I grew up watching my father do everything he could for us, which meant he had very little available time. When I was with him, I learned to treasure every second because I knew it was scarce.
Today, he’s there with his completely white hair, still working. But now we’ve managed to balance the scales and can enjoy each other’s company much more.
The Time-Energy-Money Balance
Everything I do, buy, or plan now goes through my three-factor evaluation:
My Decision Framework:
Time + Energy + Money
Real-World Example:
A product at one store costs $1 more than another store, but buying from the cheaper store would require 40 extra minutes of my time.
The calculation: Those same 40 minutes could be used to:
- Rest and recharge
- Create something valuable
- Think about strategies
In this context, that $1 difference becomes irrelevant.
Living in the Present
All we have is the here and now. What we can do is make good decisions today to harvest good results in the future.
My Past Mistake:
I used to live with my mind too focused on the future, and it wasn’t healthy.
My Current Approach:
Only when I focused on the present did I start feeling happier and more complete, living a lighter life.
Time Affects Everything and Everyone
I used to be someone who spent hours online:
- Scrolling through feeds
- Watching endless videos
- Playing chess for hours
The Transformation:
I still do some of these things today, but the difference is that I’ve set limits.
A Life-Changing Moment
My mother became ill at the end of 2022. When I visited her in the hospital, I saw not only her but several other people lying on stretchers. I thought: “I wonder if anyone has regrets about not doing something?”
That feeling must be terrible. After much reflection, I decided to create these mental records for you.
My Mission
If this can somehow help any of you move forward and make good decisions (whatever that means for each person), I’m certain my mission has been fulfilled.
Your Action Plan
I want to invite everyone who has read this far to:
Step 1: Reflection Time
- Sit down with pen and paper
- Think about the future you want for yourself
Step 2: Strategic Planning
- Identify your priorities
- Evaluate your current time allocation
- Assess your energy expenditure
Step 3: Intentional Action
- Dedicate time and energy to building your desired future
- Set boundaries on time-wasting activities
- Make decisions using the time-energy-money framework
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Where am I spending most of my time?
- What activities drain my energy without providing value?
- How can I better align my daily actions with my long-term goals?
- What would I regret not doing if I were lying on a hospital bed?
The Ultimate Truth
Time affects everything and everyone—and I don’t want to waste yours anymore.
Remember: You have exactly the same 24 hours as everyone else. The difference lies in how consciously and intentionally you choose to spend them.
Your time and energy are not renewable resources. Once spent, they’re gone forever. Make them count.
The clock is ticking. The question isn’t whether you have time—it’s whether you’re using it wisely.