Time Is Finite. Choose What Matters.

Recently, I began reading Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks and, even though I’m only a few chapters in, it has already changed my life. The central premise is simple: our time is finite, and we have no idea when our time will be up. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We shouldn’t waste even a single precious moment.

A few years ago, I faced the heartbreaking loss of several beloved pets in quick succession. Each loss was like a spike piercing my heart. It was a difficult time, but these moments of grief sharpened my awareness of memento mori, the ancient practice of contemplating one’s mortality. At first glance, this practice might seem morbid. Yet I’ve found it to be unexpectedly liberating. If we accept—or better yet, embrace—the inevitability of our own death, we can stop worrying about it and concentrate fully on making our lives meaningful.

Burkeman’s words are a sharp reminder that our energy and attention are finite. Reflecting on the finite nature of my life, I recognized the importance of selective commitment. I have boundless curiosity, and I'm drawn to countless new ideas, skills and hobbies like a moth to a light. I’ve dreamed of and explored businesses, podcasts, acting, writing, painting...an endless array of interests, each appealing yet impossible to pursue all at once. Pursuing everything at once isn’t just unrealistic, it’s unsustainable. Each time I’ve tried juggling too many projects, I ended up overwhelmed, making little progress on any.

If we can only realistically do a few things at a time, then we need to be discerning about what those things are for us in the current phase of our life and, instead of mourning the many paths not taken, we can focus our energy on enjoying the paths we have chosen.

So, I invite you, dear reader, to reflect on your life. What truly matters to you? What are you prepared to let go of to fully embrace the few precious things that mean the most? Our time is finite, and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. What we do today, in this moment, matters. So let’s use it wisely.

Until next week,

Ric.