Life is too short, and time is too precious.
There are things you must do; put those things aside so they don’t cloud the discussion.
Beyond the things you must do, is your time spent only doing what you’re dying to do?
I’ve chosen my words very carefully here. Life is a burning fuse of time.
Our lives are defined by the time we’ve been given.
The things we can accomplish are done through the investment of that time.
So, the formula is simple: Life = Time. “Doing” requires time, so the cost of doing anything is life.
Everything you “do” is done at the expense of your life. When you spend time, you spend life. So, everything you do, you are literally “dying to do.” Everything. This is the frame from which we should approach every requested expenditure of time. “Am I dying to do this?”
Even what we feel we must do has a dramatically different meaning when approached from this perspective. If you despise your job, remind yourself you’re dying to do it. Is there a vocation that would make that trade more palpable, even if you had to make other sacrifices?
What’s even more fun about this question is what happens when we take it from the other direction. While doing something we dislike is a poor utilization of time (and thus our life), doing nothing is even worse. We aren’t allowed to freeze frame or opt out of the expenditure.
We must ask ourselves, “What am I dying to do?”
Make a list of things worth that profound investment and worth dying for: people, events, projects, dreams, goals, ambitions, trips, hobbies, acts of service, learning, spirituality, exploration, art, adventure, etc.
Now you know where to invest your time.
When someone asks for your time, for any reason, the internal question this should set off is: “Am I dying to do this?” If the answer is no, then the answer is no. If you need added support, weigh their request against the items on your list.
Doing requires dying. My hope and prayer for you and me is that we cultivate the strength and discipline necessary to do what we’re dying to do.
What’s that for you? Share your list below.