Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried in the 2011 Science Fiction Thriller “In Time” – reminding us of the human condition and limited time we have in our lives (Thank you to Twentieth Century Fox for the image).
After I get up, feed my cat and get ready for the day I usually ponder what I am going to, what challenges I have and be ready for anything interesting coming my way. It’s easy to assume that we will be around forever, but the reality is that regardless of wealth, creed, race, religion or whatever the case may be – we all have the same amount of time.
As I woke up this morning, my fine colleague and friend Martha Arifin put up a great post on Facebook, taking I think a very constructive approach to time and quoting her directly:
“Martha Arifin feeling tired yet blessed – Pledge of the month: Make the best out of what’s been handed to me. Every day I’m given 86400 seconds of time. I have chosen to always take joy in whatever I do and be grateful on what I am entrusted with, while pursuing all that I want.
Thank you to my wonderful friends for being there for me as I’m sailing through this life. I love you.”
That is complete gold and of course Martha is the key dedication of today’s post for this great comment. I think there are certainly many different ways of looking at time. Martha has taken a very positive view and you also have the more dytsoptian views which aren’t the most “Positive” but spell out what it’s all about. I am a massive Justin Timberlake and the film “In Time” starting himself as the major protagonist and Amanda Seyfried showed a future where people “Genetically” lived forever, and their life span (measured with bio-clocks on their lower arms) formed the currency as to which they traded and based their economy on.
That is in this great film, you run out of time – you die on the spot! The film explored who people could earn more time and how the “Wealthy Classes” had people that have lived for over 100 years in the body of 25 year old’s and I think it really achieved it’s purpose – being very entertaining and making it’s philosophical point.
As I am no where near as awesome or attractive as Justin Timberlake (who I have an obvious “Bromance” for), I am like everyone else with 86,400 seconds each day. Whether I sit there feeling down for myself or get up and enjoy my day, serve my clients, market hard or recover from a hang-over it passes – and I don’t get it back!
Talking business and Small Business Marketing especially, the obvious thing that kicks is your business hours. Not counting great online tools, most of your selling and networking for fine entrepreneurs like us are generally done during those hours so if we are doing things we shouldn’t be doing it’s not going to be good for us from a financial point of view. This can be as heavy as slacking off on your own job! (why would you do that?) or even doing basic jobs that you shouldn’t be doing as you can pay someone to do it better than you (Bookkeeping, Tax Returns, Fixing Computers – common offenders here).
Personally the same applies. If you have a weekend and if you are feeling sorry for yourself (like I did for a short while in 2013 when I had a few relationships end on me and was back in single life) you have given up that weekend to not only enter your own more sorrow more, but deny yourself a chance to live a full life driven by contribution and such.
So talking Justin Timberlake from In Time, it paints that picture of your limited time and making the most of it. But I am going to stick to Martha’s positive take on that “Make the best out of what’s been handed to me.” Awesome Martha hit this topic on the head and the way I am most certainly going going to choose to live my day.
Have a great day everyone, make sure you visit my Awesome Marketing Vault for Top Sales & Marketing Strategies and God Bless!
Edward Zia – Marketing Mentor who thinks Martha rocks and has a “Bromance” for Justin Timberlake.
2 Responses
Nice one Ed. I read a little composition a while back and this was about the ‘Bank’ called ‘Time’. We each have 86,400 seconds per day in this bank account and if we don’t use up the ‘currency’, it will be lost forever. No amount of this currency will be accumulated in one’s bank account. So, with this in mind, we have to think about how to use up the entire amount in a productive and purposeful manner.
Thanks for the great comment Michael and nice one. That is so true and a great way of putting it. I bet the creators of “In Time” found that story as well and took that to the extreme when they made your “Life Span” the trade-able primary currency – and you had the characters who had been living for over 100 years.
The “Bank Analogy” puts it extremely well and makes you realize how short life actually is and how to use each moment to the fullest. Talking more with my Small Business Marketing Mentor hat on – that is so true. I see people all the time just working harder than what they need too, or just not being rewarded for the work they are putting in. The effort and love is there, but the effort isn’t “The most right” for the situation so they aren’t getting what they really deserve success wise.
So great one and Martha’s Comment, your comment has got me really thinking about what I do! How can I do it better and make things more awesome for myself and my clients?
Thank you again Michael and your fine comments are always welcome my friend!