Why is that time is such a hangup for most everyone? The phrases and cliches abound. “Time is on my side.” “No time left for you” by Guess Who. “No Time to Die,” a film in 2021, “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce, “The Time of My Life” from the movie “Dirty Dancing”, “25 or 6 to 4” by the jazz rock band Chicago, and “Yesterday” by the Beatles. “Time” magazine, time flies, in the nick of time, only time will tell, a waste of time, “I lost track of time,” I’ll have it in a jiffy, saving time, and I ran out of time, time’s up, and then there are a plethora of quotes too.
When the holiday season arrives, we feel the time pressures of all the added commitments on our calendars. We take time to shop—even online—and still go to selected dinner parties, company holiday parties, or out to dinner at a favorite restaurant. For many businesses, the fourth quarter makes or breaks the company’s goals. Struggling to succeed takes up precious time.
A new quarter begins, and a new year is soon upon us, so we think about the future. We look at the past and reflect on what a year this has been. Then, we make time to look into the future. What will the rest of 2025 be, and what’s in it for me?
We get so wrapped in our work, play, or spending time with others, and then the question arises, “What time is it?” No matter how you want to look at it, the time is now.
Let’s clarify that we don’t want to ignore our past. As philosopher George Santana said, “He who cannot remember the past is condemned to repeat it.” There is a tremendous distinction between learning from the past and living it. Living in the past may harbor old disappointments, resentments, or bitterness. Then, too, if the past was glorious but now one struggles, attempting to relive those great years does nothing for your present.
Imagine being in a country scene on the shore of a gorgeous lake with hills in the background and surrounded by beautiful pine trees. Looking strictly into the past, you look from only one side of the lake. You get an entirely different view when rowing to the other side of the vast body of water. Getting in the boat and rowing requires energy to see the past and live in the current moment. Only by living in the present can one transform from one emotion to another.
It may be fun to dream of the future. Have you thought about the future? You find yourself getting wrapped up in a slew of “whens.” It becomes when I get promoted, when I get the new job, when I have children, when the children leave home, when I retire, when I win the lottery jackpot, and on and on it goes. “Whens” become endless.
Legendary singer Frank Sinatra crooned “Forget Domani,” a song from the 1964 film The Yellow Rolls-Royce. The lyrics offer profound wisdom in a positively light-hearted tune:
Let’s forget about tomorrow
Let’s forget about tomorrow
Let’s forget about tomorrow, for tomorrow never comes.
Domani, forget domani
Let’s live for now. Anyhow, who needs Domani?
The moonlight, let’s share the moonlight.
Perhaps together we will never be again.
Ah, che luna, oh, che mare
We can predict the future, anticipate, and wish and hope for our future, but we will never know how things will turn out. The future is always unknown. Be assured that no other person has an edge of knowing what will or will not happen.
We learn from the past so as not to repeat it. Wishing for a better future is not a wise move, either. We know we should live in the now. So, what do so many well-intended achievers do? They purchase time management courses in hopes of better prioritizing their multitude of commitments and using time effectively.
Time management courses possess a colossal drawback. Ironically, time management teachers do not teach time management effectively. We know life happens. How do you manage those unexpected events that pop up? They weren’t on the to-do list, so do you ignore them? Some get so obsessed with their plans that they become oblivious to the world around them. How many events or opportunities do you miss because your to-do list enslaves you?
Let’s get to the bottom line now. Indeed, you notice that if you want to do something, you have found the time. Conversely, it is not that important when you don’t see the time. Most everyone has an innate ability to prioritize what is essential without a personal time manager.
Instead of living in the past or dwelling on the future, stay laser-focused on the moment’s opportunities and possibilities. Living in the moment, living in the now, will make your future a winning one—a positive prospect for you, your family, your friends, and your colleagues.
