When people truly live each day as if it were their last, where they appreciate what they have–to a degree that moves them to seek real quality with each passing moment, their time becomes something tangible, something that they can reconcile, they cannot replace. We all know & probably readily acknowledge we cannot go back in time and change things. However does that mean we cannot or are unable to change the way we use or view our time here in the present & in the future?
2 What have you heard many say at the tail end of a terminal illness or when they know the end of their life is imminent? They may be heard saying something to the effect of; they wish they had more time with their loved ones. They may even wish they had spent
less time in other pursuits in order for that to have happened. Those successful from a worldly-wise perspective maybe even recognizing all too late, would trade all their wealth & prestige for good health or more time with their loved ones. Could it be that
what is all too common with our nature as humans (conditioned by our ‘advanced’ society) and culture may be that we live our lives without enough presence of mind to live extremely deliberately, to love daily intentionally? (We can be caught up in such a micro, short-term mentality in our lives that we pay too little attention to what really matters or what we may well admit are most important, what one would consider priorities in life?) If we were to live each day like it was our last, not in a risk-all, double down, gambling with our life sort of way, but in a way that we listen to our spouses and our children with a little more concentration, we really listen when our clients talk, where we take deliberate actions that have meaning to our friends and family; We may generate more meaning and depth to the experiences and time we share.
3 If this were my last day, I could literally visualize the saying, ‘My time is numbered.’ I would only have less than 24 hours to share. Knowing this, I focus on adding significance to my family, adding flavor, love & support to the ones I care about most. I would face each hour without hesitation as to where to be and how to be. When considering our mortality, a certain somber and beneficial reflection on how we allocate our time presents itself. By considering such hypothetical somberness we can beneficially reflect on how we spend or ‘invest’ our time and I can objectively plan and live accordingly.
4 Time is more than a commodity. Time is a currency. Time can be traded on the floor of the markets of our lives. It can be spent, invested, and even squandered just like literal currency. What are your money management philosophies, habits and goals? More
importantly, what are your time management habits and goals? Is it to add significance to the lives of your loved ones and clients, or is it only to add literal currency to your literal net worth?
5 My time is very valuable and my goal is for the people I interact with to also appreciate my time as such. I strive to treat their time the same. I’ve always felt this way and as life gains speed, ‘times’ value continues to increase. If I view my time as having a very high value, then I will be very specific & deliberate about how I allocate it. That time will need to be invested specifically and intentionally. If I have a low value assessment of my time, I will have an unclear and haphazard schedule reflected through my activity and conversation. If I have a low value, I will ‘spend,’ even sometimes squander it in low ROI activity. (Return on Investment, literally, emotionally and relationally speaking.) If I do that over a period of time, I will be assured of going sideways or even backwards in life’s different seasons. You may have noticed, the points made here can be applied to your professional time, and as much as I hoped for it to be interpreted that way, I can equally or even more importantly wish it to be interpreted to apply to our personal time, our family time or creative time.
What I might do if I didn’t place a high value on my time:
• Surf the web without purpose
• Use social media without a pre-determined reason
• Live without a schedule
• Be available at all times via the phone
• Allow my email inbox to determine what I’m doing
I challenge you to live today like it’s your last, not forgetting your future goals and objectives, but to add significance to your life and
the lives of others. Live deliberately.
Do you need help with financial planning or retirement planning? Are you looking for a ‘financial consultant near me’? Contact me, Brandon, at 866-360-2724 or email me at info@TheIvyAG.com for an appointment with someone who will take care of you through your retirement.
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