I was having a conversation with one of my best friends the other night about this, but the more I contemplate upon it and ponder the significance of the concept, the more it hits me; Time is the most valuable asset that is known to man. You can do anything with it. Think about it, literally anything.
Everything we do requires time, whether it be sleeping, working, leisure activities, business, everything. Father Time is constantly spinning the clock no matter what. It's an easy concept to grasp. What is challenging to accept however is the fact that we have to choose what to DO with our time. For myself, my schedule is too packed, as I take on too many responsibilities and activities, often finding myself either canceling something or on someone, or just plain stressing out too much in order to get everything done.
The obvious solution to this is that one simply cannot do everything. Even when you plan a perfect schedule, something goes astray, a concept I often touch upon. Which is why time is so valuable. Time is based on opportunity cost. The definition of opportunity cost is this; "the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen." That's straight from Google, and is commonly used in financial discussions. But it can be applied to time as well. We have a choice every single day. We actually have a continuous choice all throughout the entire day, of what to do with our time. What we do now sacrifices some other choice we could have made. You can skip class in order to study for another class's exam, go to work in order to make money, or spend time with friends to strengthen that relationship.
Each and every way that we choose to spend our time effects our future in some way. What the outcome is, I cannot say, that's entirely dependent upon what choices you make for your specific situation. But the concept rings true. What do you give up by choosing to do something else?
Personally, I experience that almost every day, and something ends up getting additional attention. You truly cannot do everything you intend to and still expect the best results all around. But the point I'm trying to get across is that the goal does not necessarily have to be perfection, something I struggle with. Just because you have a gap in your day, doesn't mean book a meeting. You may need that time to catch up on something, to take an important phone call, who knows?
You almost have to choose from the start what you want to do, and what's most important for you. Do you want to go for a run, or stay late at work? Well, to answer that, what's best for you? Are you tired from the day, do you need the extra money, what else do you have to do today? You have to choose what's best for the day, and for your situation. You cannot do everything, and still be successful at it all. So choose what means the most to you, and spend extra time on it. Use your time wisely so that you may apply your energy more effectively into specifics, rather than an array of different tasks. Take advantage of your time, instead of squandering it. Every opportunity has a cost, just know what it is.