Minutes Matter: Valuing What Can’t Be Bought

Lawyers and accountants bill by the hour, breaking their workday into 6-minute increments. They know the exact “value” of their time on paper. Hourly employees can glance at their paycheck and see a straightforward calculation. And even salaried folks can do the math, dividing their income by hours worked.

But what is your time really worth? How do you define “value” beyond the numbers?

Let’s try some new math – minutes math! With an average life expectancy of around 80 years, each of us is given about 4,000 weeks, or 42 million minutes, at birth. If you’re around 40 years old, you’re already halfway through those minutes. So, let’s say you have about 21 million minutes left. Factor in sleep (about 1/3 of your time), time spent sick, and other basic necessities, and you’re left with maybe 12 million usable minutes—assuming you’re in good health. And if you’re older than 40, well…you can do the math.

Now, let’s do a bit more math. If I offered you $1 million, would you give up the next year of your life for it? Would you hand over a year of time for that sum, committing every hour of that year to someone else’s purpose? What about two years? Five? Where do you draw the line?

How about $10 million? Would you give up your life for that amount? One more year of life? Five years? Could any amount of money replace the minutes, days, or years of your life you would give up?

Instead of giving up time, what if you could buy it back?

I have a picture I cherish—it’s from the last day my daughter Jess played soccer, with me as her coach. It pops up on my digital frame occasionally, and every time, I stop and stare. Check it out.

What about you? Do you have a favorite picture, a moment you’d give anything to relive? What would you pay to go back, just for a few minutes, to that specific moment in time? To really go back and embrace the surroundings, the sounds and smells, the emotions, the moment.

And what would you give to bring back a loved one who’s no longer here? Both my parents have passed, and sometimes I find myself saying, “I’d give anything just to have one more conversation, one more laugh.” What would you pay to have that precious time with a lost friend or relative?

As you reflect on these questions and my “minutes math,” remember this: Minutes Matter. This is a cornerstone principle of The Life Is Too Short Guy. Time is one important resource that cannot be replenished. We cannot buy more; we can only spend it.

As you go about your day, think about how you are spending your minutes. Life shouldn’t be about squeezing out one more billable hour, taking on one more job, or filling your schedule with things that drain you. Your time is precious—value it as such. Do what brings you joy. Embrace the minutes that are truly meaningful and let go of the rest.

Because life is too short not to make today—and every day—the best day ever.

Regards,
Scott