We often hear people say that there is more to life than money or amassing things, but very few of those people continue the thought and tell you what they hold most dear. And in the abstract, it is easy to nod your head in agreement. But that is not enough to get people to really think about and consider what they need to change in their lives to amass what they hold more valuable than money.
Today, I am only going to mention one “thing” that most people agree is very valuable, and that is special memories. And these can be from traveling, enjoying a hobby or sport, or just quiet moments spent with loved ones. Each person’s most treasured memories will be unique because each person is unique. But the one thing that all of them have in common is that they are a memory of a specific time. And that single word, time, sheds a very bright spotlight on what is really important in every person’s life. Time is the only thing in our lives that is truly limited and beyond our control.
We all have the capacity and ability to earn money, buy things, learn, and grow. But the time that we have to do all of these things is limited by something that is, for the most part, out of our control. So our biggest priority should be how do we spend the precious gift that is the time that we are given on this earth?
No one can answer that question for you. You must make the choices, both easy and difficult, to determine how much you value your time and how you can best share that time with those that mean the most to you. We all spend time reviewing our finances and assets, so invest in your happiness and future to determine what you need to do to make the most of the time that you have been given. Investing the time now is your only way to be sure that you will not be facing many regrets as your time here draws to a close.
Doing the right thing, at the right time beats everything. But it takes a lot of wisdom to know when.