Don't Waste Time

Don't waste time if you want to get rich. Don't waste time even if you don't want to get rich. But if you don't want to get rich, don't waste your time here.

24 Hours, 365 Days, Years, Life…

Seconds becomes minutes becomes days becomes years becomes life becomes death.

What should you do with your time? What should you do with your life? Seek purpose, not money, some would say. Others would say it doesn't matter, life is meaningless and we don't have free will anyways. These are just viewpoints. People say a lot of crazy things, but it dosn't need to be true. Some things are plain wrong, other things aren't even wrong. Those searching for something like a compressed edition of the perfect guide to life, which is non-existent, are definitely doing it wrong.

One thing you could do with your time, is to change something. Change what? The world? That's too vague, it's not a real ambition. Find something you would like to have changed, big or small, and as long as the effort seems to be worth it, it might (drumroll…) be worth it.

If you're forced to make changes in a hurry, you might not do a great job, and you might be prone to making mistakes that could have been easily avoided. Work on the important stuff, but don't wait until it's almost too late. Better late than sorry, but it's often better to be early than late. Or perhaps just do it at the right time. Success, luck, positive change often boils down to right time, right place.

Change before you have to.
– Jack Welch, Former CEO of General Electric

Algorithm

An algorithm as a concept has existed since antiquity. Algorithms can be finite sequences of defined computer-implementable instructions, but they do have utility outside of the domain of math and computers as well.

Algorithms are always unambiguous, and mostly used for calculations, processing data, and resoning (when it can be automated), but they can also be used for many other tasks, such as business implementations and life decisions.

Routine and Habits

We first make our habits, then our habits make us.”
― John Dryden

There's good habits, and bad habits. Good habits makes life better, bad habits make life worse. The convensional opinions regarding good and bad habits might just be plain wrong. Make up your own mind on which habits and routines are good for you. Obviously, there are habits that can be detrimental to health, habits that can dillute your wealth, and so forth, but it's your life and your habits. Habits have consequences, and if it all adds to your life, then it adds to your life. Don't let others be the judge.

The seven habits. You know, the Stephen R. Covey book. You must have heard of these before? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Try to remember them from memory now, before reading the summary below. The habits are as follows:

• Be Proactive. Take responsibility and be in charge of your life.
• Begin with the End in Mind. Have a clear destination in mind.
• Put First Things First. Split into the four quadrants: the matrix of urgent/not urget and important/not important. Prioritize.
• Think Win-Win. Make it a win-win, and if that's not possible make it a no deal.
• Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.
• Synergize. Make the whole greater than its parts, allow for new possibilities, value differences in people, look for the good in others.
• Sharpen the Saw. Renew yourself, take care of yourself, on all levels (physical, spiritual and mental dimention).

Actions

Actions speak louder than words. Words are more than their letters. Letters are not that many at all. Language is composed of just a few basic sounds or shapes. You are what you think, and what you think will eventually determine your actions. You think things you don't know you think, and you know things you don't think. It's all a mess, and it's all in your head. Actions are the things you do with your life. Don't mess up your actions. The chicken and the egg, just do something, any action, then think about it, then make your action form your thoughts, or the opposite.

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
― William James