Time Runs Out


“While you’re slowly taking things one step at a time, someone else is running up those steps three at a time.” — Tim Grover

When it comes to doing good work, we must look at the way that we spend time and the things that we do with our time.

We all have 168 hours each week and 24 hours each day. If we are disciplined enough to actually look at the way that we spend our time, we should have an understanding of which activities are the most draining and which are the most energizing.

Without looking at your calendar, are you aware of what took most of your time last week?

It’s easy to get caught up in activities that we think are quicker than they really are. Sometimes we might sit down and watch a television show and then realize that two hours went by.

We will all run out of time eventually. How do we spend our moments?

We need to say no to the things that don’t matter so we can say yes to the things that really matter.

“While you’re slowly taking things one step at a time, someone else is running up those steps three at a time.” — Tim Grover

When we look at the things we do, it’s important to recognize the speed by which we go about things also. As Tim said, some people are running while others are walking, and still others are just standing still.

While the world is in motion, we need to be moving too. Which direction are we going in? If we just wait around and dream about our goals and our visions, we won’t ever get where we are trying to go.

As the saying goes, “People tend to overestimate what can be done in one year and to underestimate what can be done in five years.”

When we go ahead and make our plans for the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years, it’s valuable to consider the growth that we will be able to experience. While in one day we may not be able to write a book, we may be able to write two books in 2 years.

Just 1% growth every day will put us strides and strides beyond where we were at this time last year.

While it’s not possible to use every moment effectively, it is valuable to be cognizant of where our hours are going. Ironically, (or maybe not surprisingly) while writing this I ran into a wall. I didn’t know what other words I could add and I didn’t know what other message I could provide.

But I stepped back, stepped away, and then returned and thought bigger and thought grander. Now, this piece is where it is.

In the moment, we may not see how every action can compound towards the next but we know what needs to be done. If we are writing a book, we are going to have to get words on paper — most accomplished authors write every day, even if only a page. We need the momentum.

When it comes to time, starting can sometimes be the most difficult part, but it shouldn’t be. Some of the most successful people often emphasize that when you really do not feel like doing what you committed to — be it a workout, a meeting, or reading — that’s when it’s most valuable.

We all have 24 hours every day, let’s use them wisely and continue to press onward. Momentum will be on our side.

“It is much harder to stop something already in motion than it is to start something that is stopped. It is even harder still to induce motion into something that is without movement.”

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