Time Will Pass… Will You?

My ninth-grade science teacher, Mr. Wilson, hung a sign under the clock that read: “Time will pass, but will you?” That year, I must have stared at that sign a thousand times. On the surface, the message seemed obvious: pay attention and do well. Don’t, and you won’t. Simple enough. Right?

Maybe not.

Today, I interpret Mr. Wilson’s warning differently.  My interpretation has me paying more attention to the clock. Not less.

Time is perhaps the most precious resource for all of us. We can’t collect it. Store it. Mine it. Buy more of it. And we surely can’t get it back. The return we get depends on how we use it.

Fast forward a year to this same day next year. It will be here before you know it. When that day comes, and you look back on the year that was, will you be content with how you spent your time?

Did you spend enough quality time with family and friends? Did you go on that trip that you had been planning? Did you train for and complete the triathlon? Did you talk to your boss about taking on more responsibility? Did you seek a different role within your company? Or begin the search for a new position in an entirely new field?

When you look back on the year, what will have made it a successful year? How did you want to spend your time? Where did you fall short? Why?

It’s important that we ask ourselves these questions now because the seconds of the clock do not stop. They do not wait. And they do not slow down. Any parents reading this who watched their kids go to school this week and wondered aloud, “How did they get so big?” or “Where did the time go?” knows this all too well. Time sneaks up on us when we aren’t paying attention.

That’s why I say whatever your goal is… whatever big idea you might be thinking about… whatever passion project you’re pondering… start it today. Take that first step. Even if your idea is so big it scares you. Even if the first step just means coming up with a plan. Because time will pass, whether you have a plan or not—whether you act or not. Better to have it pass while you are doing something that matters to you. Something that gives you energy. Something that excites you.

Often, what holds people back is the idea that it’s too late. That the chance to make a change or a move came and went years ago. But, time only passes you by when you’re standing still. We can’t turn back the hands of time or freeze them in place, but we can make sure we have a hand in what happens while they move. We have to respect time, be mindful of its value, and spend it wisely, because, in the end, the question, “Where did the time go?” isn’t all that important. The question, "What to do with the time we have?" matters a great deal more.

Matt Spielman is the Founder and Managing Director of Inflection Point Partners LLC. Matt's work focuses on career management, leadership development, and team performance. He works with both Fortune 100 clients and venture capital backed firms. He gets energy from helping people realize their purpose and potential, and having a positive impact on lives and careers.