What Do You Want?

My time is valuable.

And, so is yours.

I’ve become incredibly conscious of the way I spend my time.

Who I’m spending it with.

What I’m spending my time on.

Why I’m spending my time that way.

I’ve developed a talent for saying “no” to things I don’t want or need to do. More importantly, I can’t be guilted into being places or doing things that just aren’t for me.

Finding myself in any situation where my time is not being valued or used productively makes me restless.

Devastatingly restless.

I’ve become allergic to wasted time as a result of craving growth and satisfaction.

Do you ever get bored? Yeah, me too. And I think it’s the most absurd feeling in the world when we are surrounded by things to do.

If we have control of our time, boredom should never be a factor.

Lately, one particular question plays on repeat in my mind:

“What do you want?”

What a huge, all-encompassing question. The literal definition of open-ended and an instigator of deep self-contemplation.

No pressure, right?

Some people have a clear and exact picture of what they want and how they plan to get there. Great.

Some have a vague, but confident, approach that lands in the realm of: “I just want to be happy.” Always important, but can drastically vary in definition from person to person.

Others hear this question and have a mind spasm.

It creates a mini surge of panic as they try to find the words to explain what they want out of this thing called “life” and they begin to realize that maybe the words they came up with aren’t quite enough. Or not full sentences. Or. Clumsy.

It’s perfectly alright to be any of these types of people. I’ve been all three. You don’t need to know exactly where it’s all meant to go. How could you? The important part is that you’re asking the question and being an active participant in your daily existence.

Maybe the concept of what you want changes as time goes on. Perfect. Let it. We’re ever-evolving creatures that continue to learn about ourselves as we experience what life throws our way.

Asking yourself what you want will begin to unveil your priorities and real aspirations.

Write them down. Even the things that make you feel ridiculous.

Write them in order of importance and, most importantly, begin to base your daily decisions and company on these priorities.

Don’t drift through life and let the time tick away in complacency because you’ve become attached to your excuses and committed to your doubts. Don’t spend your energy convincing yourself to be small if all you want is to be larger than life.

THAT’S what you don’t have time for.

Many of us become so concerned with stability, money, and the daily grind of existing that we forget to ask ourselves what we actually want. We lose sight of the long-term reward by trying to maintain short-term comfort.

I want more than that and maybe you’re right there with me.

More is not solely based on financial freedom and the accumulation of physical things.

Having more is about living with purpose, feeling satisfied at the end of the day, and finding meaning in it all.

So often we find ourselves saying, “I don’t have time.”

Can I tell you a secret?

When something truly matters to me, I develop the power to MAKE TIME.

I seem to create it out of nowhere. I wake up early. I stay up late. I find the energy. I get that day off from work. I put something else on the back burner.

I inconvenience myself.

I make time happen.

I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that you may also be endowed with this amazing ability.

Our amount of time is based on our priorities. If something or someone falls into that prized list of “Wants and Desires”, they’ve got VIP access to our time.

If you discover that something or someone is clearly wasting it, kick ’em outta the club.

Time flies.

And not just when you’re having fun.

It flies when you’re aimless, it flies when you pout. It flies during sad times, bad times, and doubt.

We focus constantly on how we spend our money, but do we put enough attention into how we’re spending our time?

While we have the ability to check our bank balances, we’re not afforded the luxury of knowing how much time we have.

Use it wisely and in good company. Use it to enjoy simple things. Use it to achieve whatever is important to you. Use it to learn. Use it to feel. Use it for things that matter.