I think about time often because I know it’s not promised to me. It’s not that I believe I’m on my way out any time soon, but I’m keenly aware that I have an expiration date. We all do, in fact, and it’s coming faster than most of us realize. And that’s precisely why I don’t like to waste time; there are still a lot of things I need to achieve before I take my last breath.

My message to you today is that whether you have little time left or plenty, it’s your quality of time that matters most. How you spend your time is simply what you do with it, but quality means how you experience it. If you’re like me, you aspire to experience joy and fulfillment as much as possible.

In those regards, the first requirement is that you stay healthy so you have the vitality you need to act with intention. That means working out, eating right, and getting good rest, because it’s harder to feel joyful or be productive when you’re totally out of shape or in poor health. Working out in and of itself effectively develops your faculty of intention because it’s a purposeful action taken by your own decision.

Speaking of purpose, the next requirement is that you know what yours is. Though taking action is important, being busy is not necessarily the point. After all, an unintentional person can easily keep themselves busy with distractions. What matters is that your thoughts and actions are meaningful and not merely a segue into another day, week, month, or year of mindless routines.

When you know what your purpose is, work at it often and with focus. Don’t stop yourself by manufacturing reasons not to do what must be done. It may seem like a mountain to climb, and you may be full of doubt. But if it’s truly your purpose, do the things that matter most sooner rather than later.

Time is leverage. Why? Because your efforts need time to compound into the outcomes you’re anticipating. So remember that though time is eternal, your ration of it is limited, and the faster you do the things that matter, the more time they have to start working.

Sayonara until next time.