We are often so busy in making money, that we forget that the time gone is what we will never be getting back. Whatever we sacrifice in order to make money boils down to the time we lose. The time to learn, the time to enjoy the company of loved ones, the time to live life, the time to taste happiness, and so on.
“Trade money for time, not time for money. You’re going to run out of time first.” – Naval Ravikant
When it comes to achieving success and making money. We are ready to trade our time but at the end of the day, time is what matters. What are you going to do with all the money earned, if you do not have time to spend it.
“If you want to be wealthy, spend your time relaxing, or earning. Outsource or ignore everything else.” – Naval Ravikant
Real wealth doesn’t come from what is in your bank, it comes from what is in your life. You should be rich in experiences, the stories you can tell, the tales you can recall. Our experiences are what fill our hearts and fuel our minds. When we are no longer capable of working as hard as we do now, these memories are what will keep us company. Here are some quotes that have always stayed with me and shaped my stance toward time and money.
- “Earn with your mind, not your time.” – Naval Ravikant
- “The rich invest in time, the poor invest in money.” – Warren Buffett
- “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” – Carl Sandburg
- “To say that “time is money” is a grotesque undervaluation of time. You can lose a fortune and make another one. Lost time is irretrievable. Do not trade time for trifles.” – The Stoic Emperor
- “They say time is money, but that’s not true. You can make your money back.” – Steven Griffith
Final Thoughts
We spend all our lives worrying about money – earning more, investing more, and saving more. One thing we don’t pay attention to is the price we are paying for adding that “more” prefix to your money. We need to stop and analyze what we are working at and what our end goal is. If what we are doing doesn’t match our priorities, then we need to reevaluate our stance. Earning money will not make up for the time lost.