Alright, folks, let’s get real for a second. How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t have time”? Hell, how many times have you said it yourself? We throw it around like it’s a valid excuse for everything from not working out to not calling your mom back.
But here’s the brutal truth: “I don’t have time” is total BS. What you really mean is, “It’s not a priority.”
Let’s strip away the layers of denial and face the music. Time is the most democratic thing in the universe. We all get the same 24 hours each day. It doesn’t matter if you’re Elon Musk or Joe Schmo from down the street, you’ve got the same amount of time to play with. So, when you say you don’t have time, you’re really just saying that whatever it is, it’s not important enough for you to make room for it.
Most people don’t want to admit that. They don’t want to face the fact that they’re choosing Netflix over their dreams, or scrolling Instagram instead of working on that side hustle. It’s easier to blame time – that elusive, ever-slipping concept – rather than take responsibility for your choices.
The Power of Prioritization
Here’s a fun exercise: The next time you’re about to say, “I don’t have time,” stop and replace it with, “It’s not a priority.” Go ahead, try it. “I’m not going to the gym because it’s not a priority.” Sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it? But it’s also liberating. It forces you to confront your true priorities.
When you start framing things this way, you gain clarity. You see what really matters to you and what doesn’t. And let’s be honest, if something truly mattered, you’d find a way to make it happen. If you suddenly had a chance to meet your favorite celebrity or win a million bucks, you’d move mountains to be there. So, it’s not about time; it’s about what you’re willing to prioritize.
Own Your Choices
Look, life is a series of choices. Some of those choices are big, like choosing a career path or deciding where to live. Others are small, like what to eat for breakfast or whether to hit the snooze button. But they all add up. And the sum of those choices is what shapes your life.
When you own your choices, you take control of your life. You stop being a victim of circumstance and start being the architect of your future. It’s not about having more time; it’s about making the time you have count.
Stop the Excuses
Let’s call it what it is: “I don’t have time” is just a convenient excuse. It’s a way to dodge responsibility and avoid guilt. But excuses don’t get you anywhere. They keep you stuck in the same place, spinning your wheels and wondering why nothing ever changes.
So, ditch the excuses. Start being honest with yourself. If you don’t want to do something, just admit it. Say, “It’s not a priority right now.” There’s no shame in that. In fact, it’s empowering. It gives you the freedom to focus on what truly matters to you.
Make the Shift
Changing your mindset from “I don’t have time” to “It’s not a priority” isn’t easy. It requires a level of self-awareness and honesty that most people aren’t comfortable with. But if you want to live a life that’s truly fulfilling, it’s a shift you need to make.
Start small. Pick one area of your life where you’ve been using the time excuse and reframe it. Maybe it’s your health, your relationships, or your personal growth. Whatever it is, start prioritizing it. Make it a non-negotiable part of your day.
And watch what happens. When you start treating your time as a reflection of your priorities, you’ll find that you have more of it than you ever realized. You’ll start achieving things you once thought were impossible. Because the truth is, you always had the time. You just needed to start using it wisely.
So, next time you’re tempted to say, “I don’t have time,” stop and think. Is it really about time, or is it about priorities? And if it’s about priorities, what are you going to do about it? The choice is yours.