Marc Cuniberti The most valuable commodity is not money, but time.
One can always make more money, but no one can get more time.
No matter who we are, everyone on the planet has only 24 hours in a day. How we use that time can make the difference in what we do, how we do it and if we can afford it.
With few exceptions, when I look at successful people in business, sports or quality of life in general, most people I know or read about who are successful use their time wisely.
I have always said, “You don’t get what you want, you get what you work”.
No truer mantra exists in my opinion.
Whether starting a business, aiming to be the best at sports, or whatever it is one endeavors to do, the more time you allocate to it, you will be more successful at it.
I once played racquetball with a guy who always complained he couldn’t afford things. Because I have always packed my days full with whatever it was I was doing, I asked if we could play at 7:00 am instead of his usual start time of 10:00 am so I could get on with doing other things. He said 7:00 am was too early and he didn’t get up until 9:00.
Not drawing an absolute conclusion that his wake up time was the reason for struggling with his bills, I am pretty certain if he got up earlier and had more time in his day, he would have more time to do whatever it was he needed to do to make a bit more money.
I listen to a lot of motivational tapes on YouTube. Some of the topics might be things like, “Get it done” “I will outwork you”, “Get up at 4:30 am”, “It’s not over until I win”, and many others.
I usually listen on my phone while driving or working out and many of the audios are often done by motivational speakers or famous and accomplished individuals.
The tapes I listen to always have a common theme: Get up early, as in REAL early, never quit, work harder, work smarter, put down the smart phones, and don’t hang out with those that don’t motivate you or that put you down. Things like that.
Some great quotes come out of these tapes. Things like “don’t quit when you’re tired, quit when you’re done”, “it wasn’t a bad day, it was a character building day”, “some people are in your life for a reason while other people are in your life for a season”, “get over it”, “the only thing you really control is your work ethic” and “you may be smarter than me, faster than me, stronger than me, but you will never outwork me”.
The latter has been the inspiration for me when I feel like quitting and it keeps me going forward.
Time is your best friend, but it can also be your worst enemy.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, if you have ever read his philosophy about his work ethic, was a madman when it came to pursuing his dreams. From one accomplishment to another, he excelled at things that were thought to be impossible as a small boy from the unknown town of Thal, Austria. He once said, “You only need 6 hours of sleep and if someone tells me they need more, I tell them sleep faster”.
Funny but he has a good suggestion there. Sleeping 6 hours a day gives you 16 hours of waking time to do what you need to do. Many accomplished people that I have read about or know personally get even less sleep.
Keep in mind it’s not all work. Your awake time has some play time in it too. Just realize that many of those that started businesses the likes of Apple, Microsoft, Nike or the thousands of other iconic brands, spent almost every waking hour working on their dream. And that’s what it might take for you to realize yours.
This article expresses the opinion of Marc Cuniberti and is not meant as investment advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, nor represents the opinion of any bank, investment firm or RIA, nor this media outlet, its staff, members or underwriters. Mr. Cuniberti holds a B.A. in Economics with honors, 1979, and California Insurance License #0L34249. His insurance agency is BAP INC. insurance services. Mr. Cuniberti was voted best financial advisor in the county 2021. Email: [email protected]
