Time is the coin of your life

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“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.”

– Carl Sandburg

Image of a watch and coinsWhen we are young, we believe that we have an unlimited amount of time. Who cares if we waste a day – a week – a month – a year?

We trade our time for money, and as we pine for more and more things, we often get caught up in a vicious cycle. It starts to feel as if time is running out.

If you’re lucky enough to live for 82 years, how many hours will that be? How many days? How many weeks? How many months? When you do the math, you can work out what an hour, day, week, month, or year is truly worth to you.

82 years works out to around 30,000 days, 4,200 weeks, and less than 1,000 months. If you’re 40 years old, you have around 500 months left.

Exercise:

Imagine a big jar with 4,200 quarters. Each week, you take one quarter out. That’s your life being used up.

What changes will you make today to spend your time more wisely?

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high…”

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“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”

– Michelangelo

Image from Unsplash by AJ Yorio

I guess spending five years painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel is an example of reaching consistently for new heights. In fact, most of Michelangelo’s works are examples of extraordinary achievements.

  • What have been your proudest moments in life?
  • Where have you dared to achieve greatness, or a higher purpose?
  • How did stretching or reaching for these seemingly out of reach goals help you grow?

Even if we fail on attempt after attempt, we can try again.

Exercise

Where in your professional or personal life are you playing too small and too safe?

What goals in your life are worth greater risk, even the risk of failure?

#3: “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

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– General Colin Powell

Would you describe yourself as an optimist? Optimistic people:

  • See the possibilities in things
  • Have a “can do” attitude
  • See lemonade whenever they see lemons
  • Drink from the half-full glass
  • Look for the good in others and situations
  • Find the pony in the room full of dung
  • Attract other people and opportunities

Optimism helps us to adjust quickly to adversity; after setbacks, we can get back up faster. By making optimism a habit, you can find a positive aspect in every situation. There’s always something new to learn.

Exercise:

Who are the most optimistic people in your world? How can you spend more time with them and be more like them?

Who are the most pessimistic people in your world? How can you reduce their impact, or even remove them from your life?

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#2: “Do not follow where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

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– Ralph Waldo Emerson

We’re wired to doing what other people expect of us. We learn (from parents, teachers, and other influencers) that we should try to fit in and not stand out.

Yet many of us regret that we did not follow our own muse, passions and visions.

Ask yourself:

  • What inspires me?
  • What am I passionate about?
  • Where do I lose all my sense of time?
  • Where and when am I the happiest?
  • What are my unique abilities and talents?

Exercise:

How will you find the courage to chart your own life journey? Where will you go and what will you do?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your email address in the sidebar to the right.

#1: “The best things in life aren’t things.”

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– Art Buchwald

My father used to refer to himself as “one of the richest men around.” He had a life filled with the richness of relationships, experiences, community, spirit, faith, purpose and meaningful work.

Many people today feel that they never have enough, and they’re always in pursuit of more. But “more” often doesn’t make people happier, in spite of what society tells us.

Things cost time. We spend hours working to pay for our possessions … and to pay to insure, protect, maintain and clean them. Sometimes, we have to unclutter our life and have fewer things. We can make the choice to travel more lightly and simply.

Exercise:

Determine what people and experiences in your life bring you the greatest joy and happiness. Schedule more time with these people, and engage in these activities more often.

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your email address in the sidebar to the right.