Masterful Mindsets ~ Time is Money
Question:
Would you rather have $100 or 100 minutes to spend however you want? What would you do with either? How are time and money the same? How are they different? What if you did start to think of time as a valuable currency? Is what you’re spending it on worth it?
Action Challenge:
You’ve surely heard the saying, “Time is Money.” But you may not realize how truly important it is, to treat time as a valuable currency. After all, it really isn’t money that buys happiness; it’s what you do with your time…
If you look up the saying, “Time is Money”, there are many variations on the meaning. But the two most common concepts are to express that you should not waste time because you could be using your time to make money. The other dominant concept is simply that time is in and of itself, a valuable resource so we must not waste it.
I can certainly see the importance of understanding both concepts. But for the purpose of today’s challenge, I want you to think about the latter and the importance of time to you.
What if you did start to think of time as a currency?
How are they the same? Both are valuable. You probably should spend both wisely.
How are they different? The biggest difference – You can NEVER get time back. It truly is irreplaceable. Whereas money, you can always make back and even make more of.
And let’s think about this… which one really does buy happiness? Sure you need money. And yes, one could argue that money makes life easier. But it’s not the things you have or the places you go that create happiness. It’s the experiences you have in those moments of time that really create happiness.
A personal example: We spend what to some might see as a ridiculous amount of money on sports. Both of our girls play on teams that travel and compete at a high level. Between uniforms, equipment, travel expenses and other fees, we could probably have a lot of money in the bank right now. But when you look farther at what that money buys, it’s really the time and experiences that are so valuable. And it’s that time and those experiences that bring fun, happiness and joy to our family. The time spent on those experiences are more valuable than anything else that money could buy us.
So what are you spending your time on? Are you wasting it away – staring at your phone or binge-watching TV? Or are you sharing it with the people that matter most to you? Are you using it as the valuable, irreplaceable gift that it is?
My challenge to you is to really take a look and evaluate what you are spending your time on. Then ask yourself if it’s truly worth your time? Is it bringing you happiness and joy? If it’s not, then it’s “time” to change that.
Remember, although money can buy you many things, it really isn’t what buys you happiness. It’s what you do with your time that creates true happiness. And that makes it the most valuable currency of all.
***I want to hear from you… Share your comments below.