The Greatest Resource in the World

When I went inside our office's pantry, I noticed two utilities discussing. They suddenly asked me, "When will we become rich?” I was caught off guard since I was not sure how to respond. At that point, I had no response since, in all honesty, I do not have the ability to predict the future and do not wish to hold an urgent workshop on how to become wealthy. When asked, "When can I become rich?" there is no one simple response.

It finally struck me when I was driving. Rich has numerous meanings. We might always say, "I am rich in love and friends," or "I am rich in ideas." However, I was aware that the utilities were not asking me that. I understand that being rich equates to having money. A resource that everyone would like to have. Of all, with money, you can do anything you want. Purchase a home, a car, a new Apple or Samsung smartphone, the latest Nike or Addidas rubber shoes, a vacation in Europe or the Bahamas, and so on. Money is associated with increased profit, expansion, worldwide presence, and control in businesses. So, is money the greatest resource one could have?     

I once attended a forum where Mr. Jaime Zobel Ayala was a panellist. I could not recall which occasion or where it was, but I do remember his saying that education is what can make our country great. I agreed with what he stated and strongly feel it would have a significant impact on any nation. Imagine everyone having access to an excellent education and discovering their best selves. So, is education the answer to the question, "When will I get rich?"" Once again, there is no straightforward response. We are all aware that our country's current educational system falls short of providing equitable, accessible, and inclusive education to all students. I will not focus on the situation and even try to explain or present proof/documented evidence on what I just said. Simply read the newspapers, or better yet, ask teachers, students, or parents what they think about the status of education.

I also remembered a talk with a friend. He informed me that getting rich requires more than simply hard effort. Because if we equate hard work with wealth, poverty in the Philippines will disappear. Consider the hundreds of thousands of professors, employees, and utilities in industrial plants, hotels, malls, and any other institution or business that may exist. We cannot deny that they are working hard. They work extremely hard, but they are not financially or filthy rich.

I focused on the subject again, "When will I get rich?" Then it dawned on me that the question "when" necessitates an answer that provides a fixed time to become wealthy. Will it happen tomorrow, next year, in ten years, or never? That is why responding right immediately was so difficult. To obtain money, you must first earn it. Hence, working hard appears to be the ideal way to go. We hear our parents tell us to work hard so that we can succeed. Again, we link success with wealth. Pondering deeper, one needs to work to earn money, regardless of if it is a white-collar or blue-collar job, or an inheritance. Once must work to earn money and keep it flowing period. On the other hand, time is something that we do not have to work for. It is there… available… given equally to everyone - 24 hours per day. It is a gift or manna from the universe that is free which somehow, we take for granted. It is a resource that we are abundant of. However, once wasted, it is gone. When a second passes by, its gone. When a minute passes by its gone… when an hour passes by, its gone. You cannot go back. You cannot ask the universe or from God to bring back the time that you had during the last summer vacation with your spouse, children or parents or family and friends when it is finished. Even if you go on summer vacation every year, it is still a unique experience. You were much younger at the time, or you have a different perspective or mood. In short, you cannot go back in time. A minute that passes away is already history. Do you see now where I am getting at?

As Jim Rohn, an American author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker, has once said, "Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it." I believe him. Time indeed is a resource that is there for the taking, yet we waste it. We kept on pressuring ourselves when to get rich when we already have one of the greatest resources in life – time. I will not go into detail about how to manage time. We can create a separate post for that. At this point, I want to stress the value of time. Valuing the present. The awareness that we have the gift of time and how we can make the most of each second and each minute that we have it. At the end of the day, it is the choices that we made. The decision on where and how we spend our day – our time. Some would say, its easier said than done. Some would even try to compare their experiences, claiming that it was tougher for them than for others. It may be true. But the reality is that everyone has their own challenges or crosses to bear. We do not know what other people are feeling. Even the richest of the rich face difficulties on their own. Have you watch, “The Billionaire, The Butler and The Boyfriend” on Netflix?

What I am saying is that everyone has their own problem. Comparing with others what we have or do not have will only give us anxiety and unnecessary stress. So, my dear friends, since time is the very most valuable resource, let us choose how would we like to spend it. There are so many options to choose from (good or bad) –

·       Spend 8 hours on social media browsing the life of the rich & famous.

·       Spend 8 hours sleeping.

·       Spend 2 hours reading.

·       Spend 30 minutes eating processed foods.

·       Spend 2 hours watching videos that challenge and exercises our brain power.

·       Spend 8 hours playing mobile games.

·       Spend 2 hours enhancing our skill.

·       Spend 30 minutes of self-talk.

·       Spend 30 minutes of walking.

·       Spend time learning.

·       Spend time with friends.

·       Spend your working hours with a positive outlook.

·       Spend your working hours hating, envying, or destroying relationships.

·       Spend your time being grateful and kind to others.

·       Spend time for self-care and rejuvenation.

·       Spend time listening to your spouse, children, family, friends, and colleagues.

·       Spend time harnessing your patience and holding your tongue.

·       And so on….

We can always aspire to have a comfortable life. We can always dream big. That is called a vision. It is always great to have a vision because it gives us direction in life. The next best thing we must do is create our purpose - our mission in life. Once we are clear with those two, let it be our guiding light when we decide on how we want to spend our time.

Life is always full of surprises and challenges. When we are faced with a challenge, we have the choice on how and where to use our time. The choice is yours… My advice is, use it wisely.