#totd: About time

Time is relative…

If we had infinite time, would we still pursue…

Wealth, power, fame…?

With infinite time, [material] wealth becomes irrelevant. Resources can be accumulated over any period — even saving 1p per week — eventually we could [all] achieve financial independence. The period of accumulation would be trivial, and “the rest of time” would be spent in relative comfort… pursuing higher goals.

So, the real, true resource is time. Those who harness time — maximise their time-efficiency — will rise above others.

[There is also a philosophical question of whether we would seek to dominate others in the absence of scarcity. What would our higher purpose be, if not ‘simply to survive’. Have humans, and animals, ever existed in a time where there was no competition for resources…? One could posit all progress is driven by scarcity and adversity — it’s the very nature of competition. Perhaps I’ll have a chance to explore this topic in a subsequent post.]

To have more time [for the stuff we want to do], we need to compress all the stuff we don’t want to do. How can we compress [insert thing you hate doing]?

Learn, faster and deeper!

Learning compounds, and produces exponential returns.

We can use any simple analogy: Walk, run, bike, motorcycle. The point is one enables the next level. Doing the 2nd level first is either too risky, or sometimes not even possible.

Choose when, what, and how to learn. Watching random #TED talks is not structured learning, it’s #infotainment — it makes us feel good just listening to clever people.

Learning can be random, but structured learning — based on direction and purpose [goals!?] will accelerate your progress 10x.

For the ‘known unknowns’, create a learning plan — this could include doing a course, university degree or similar. I.e. make time to research topics where you have gaps. Layer topics so each nugget unlocks a new level.

For the “unknown knowns”, share your ideas and let other, smart people collaborate — they might trigger you

For the “unknown unknowns”, read, connect with and follow thought leaders in associated industries.

Back to the relativity of time. If you manage to accelerate — faster than peers — it will seem like you’re moving at warp speed while the rest of your world appears static.

There, you’ve learned to time-travel! Relatively.

And that’s what counts, right now!

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