How are you spending your time?
At this point in life, time is really the only resource that we can make more of. We build more relationships, acquire more knowledge, make more money, etc, but we can’t make more time.
This is why being intentional about how I spend my time — from the moment I get up until I go to bed — is so incredibly important to me. I don’t want to waste a finite resource. I want to make the most of every moment.
Recently, I encountered a study that highlighted six interesting ways in which the way we spend our time changes over our lifetimes, and it’s had a profound effect on the way I think about how I’m spending my time, and who I’m spending it with.
Which statistic resonates most with you?
When you reach the age of 30, the amount of time you spend with yourself increases until the day you die
This one surprised me a little bit, considering that for many, the age of 30 is a time where you might have a relationship, a young family, and a career, but in the grand scheme of things, those are just mere blips in your lifetime.
So what does this statistic really say to me? That it’s important for me to know myself, and to know how to spend those solitary moments throughout my lifetime in a way that is good for me, and ultimately good for the world.
Like, what am I really doing when I’m all by myself? Am I bettering myself? For as long as I am able to, I want to read things that keep my mind active and fertile, stay physically and mentally fit, enjoy nutritious foods, and find ways in which I can make every moment, even those moments where I’m alone, intentionally fulfilling.
If you’re a parent, on average, you’ll spend the most time with your children between the ages of 25 to 50. After that, you won’t see them as often.
Again, not a huge surprise. This is approximately a child’s infancy through their early to mid-20s, when they’re possibly finishing college and moving on to the real “adult” phase of their lives.
So what does this statistic say to me? It says savor every moment you have with your children. Have as many experiences with them as you possibly can while they’re young so that they have an incredible childhood.
Imprint upon them that they have the opportunity to do and to build incredible things, and that their relationships — with people, with the media, and with themselves — will have a profound impact on their worlds, so they should choose wisely.
You might not see them as much when they’re adults and building their own families, but the good lessons you’ve taught them will last for generations.
You’ll spend an enormous amount of time between your 20s and 60s with the people you work with
You’ve probably heard this or a similar statistic before. For many, they’ll spend more of their waking hours with their colleagues than they will with their families and friends.
Really puts things into perspective, right? Given this reality, are you spending time with people who are making you better? Are you contributing to an organization with a mission that aligns with your values?
It’s statistics like these that made us want to build a business like Cardone Ventures, one that exists to help people achieve their goals. And when I say “people,” I don’t just mean our clients, I mean our individual team members, too.
Setting goals, holding people accountable, celebrating success, and making adjustments that are necessary to achieve the next goal is unique, I know, but it’s helped us bring in incredibly talented people who are doing incredible work for our clients.
This chunk of life is where you really have the opportunity to do incredible things. Make the most of it.
After you turn 20, you’ll only spend a small amount of time with your parents and family before the end of their lives
Now everyone has different relationships with their parents. And everyone lives their lives differently. Some still live very close to their parents and extended family. Many others are spread all over the world.
Many western cultures, including ours in the United States, don’t place the same emphasis on keeping extended family in close proximity that many other cultures do, which is a shame for all sorts of reasons.
If you’re someone who wants to keep your parents and other family members close as we age, then now is the time to start actively engaging with them. Like I mentioned in relation to the first stat, time isn’t a renewable resource, and since no one is promised tomorrow, today is the time to invest in the things you want out of life, including time with aging family members.
Before the age of 20, you’ll spend a lot of time with a lot of “friends.” After the age of 30, you’ll spend a smaller amount of time with just a few important friends
Your younger years are largely spent as a period of self-discovery, where the combination of your closest influences, like your family, friends and the things you love focusing your time and attention on, really inform your personality.
Your relationships maybe had a little more drama. The time you were willing to spend on people was probably greater than it’s become as you’ve gotten older. Why? Well, it’s probably because we come to realize that we don’t need an enormous network of friends to make us feel fulfilled.
In fact, it’s just the opposite. Having just a few close friends who support you, support your goals, and align with your vision of life are really all that you need to feel content.
All that said, I’d remind everyone, younger and older, that who you choose to surround yourself with is incredibly important, and that if you’re someone who has big expectations of themselves and big goals, that you should be choosing relationships with people who are there to boost you up.
Don’t be afraid to cut people out of your circle if they’re a drain on your goals and aspirations. We only have one life to live, and it’s too short to spend it with people who don’t want the best for us. Make your circle small, make it tight, and fill it with positivity, accountability, and big, big goals!
The time you spend with your partner will increase from the day that you meet them until the day that you die
It’s right there in the word: Partner.
Is your partner really a partner to you? Do you share goals, support each other, hold each other accountable, and experience life to the fullest together? Isn’t that what being a partner is really all about? The thick and the thin and everything in between?
If you’re lucky enough to find someone that you really want to spend the rest of your life with, then you need to be really invested in working together on your relationship.
Over time, you will change, they will change, and the dynamics of your relationship will change. It’s important to keep yourself open to that reality, and to stay connected and committed to what brought you together in the first place. You’ll mature, but the spark will remain. What could be more fulfilling than that?
Want more tips on how to make the most of your time?
If you want to make the most of your time, then you need to come to a Cardone Ventures live event! You’ll learn how we lead with intentionality in each and every thing that we do.
Surround yourself with like-minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and the Cardone Team, and revel in the joy of creating a 10X life through the power of laser focus and intention. These seats fill up quickly — register NOW to save your spot!
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