Essays
Be Greedy with Your Time
Time, the ever-constant drumbeat in the background of our lives, waits for no one. Its value is immeasurable, yet often, we find ourselves squandering this precious commodity. The saying "time is money" is a stark reminder to be stingy, even greedy, with how we spend our time. Pursuing lofty goals requires respecting the finite nature of time and the discipline to squeeze out as much as possible every 24-hour day. Let’s dive into the art of maximizing time, drawing inspiration from the masters of time management, and outlining three key strategies to make the most of every moment.
Accept the tradeoffs
An essential aspect of decision-making is understanding that a clear “best” decision rarely exists. Sometimes, they do. The rare unicorn where the right choice jumps out in front of you. But decisions become more challenging and unclear when reaching for something beyond our skills and abilities.
Learning well
“Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Only believe what you yourself test and judge to be true.” – Buddha
Siddartha Guatama memorialized this wisdom sometime during the 6th or 5th century BCE. While profound, applying that mantra in an information-saturated world is challenging. To learn well requires trust in others to “test and judge to be true.” Rather than simply judging, we’re tasked with synthesizing vast amounts of information to distinguish truth from lies and fantasy from reality.
Do the right thing.
Doing the “right” thing is not easy. Even more challenging is knowing what the right thing to do is. I’m not referring to ethical or moral decisions, although those can be equally challenging. I’m referring to actions that move us in a particular direction. Choices that impact future choices carry their own unique consequences. It may involve making decisions that go against our own desires or beliefs or be difficult to make in the face of peer pressure.
Worry about yourself.
We’re relatively unrestricted in our choices, short of negatively impacting others. Rules disincentivize behaviors the culture deems wrong or incongruent with a healthy and happy population. Aside from those, we are responsible for taking ownership of our choices and the outcomes those choices bring.
Finding allies.
You are who you spend most of your time with. Stop and think about that. In a tribe, we adapt to those around us to build camaraderie and strengthen the group. We mimic behaviors, language, and attitudes. Over time, we develop and share similar beliefs and gravitate toward others who do the same. Our long-term survival, success, and opportunity to thrive depend on it.