Effectivity
Time is opportunity
Time, at its core, is nothing more than opportunity. History is past opportunity, the future is potential opportunity, but the only opportunity that actually exists is the time you are experiencing right now.
This leads us to 2 important conclusions:
- If the only opportunities that exist are the time that we call now, then there is no need to regret. Time that has passed, is opportunity that has closed. There is no reason to wish, or dwell upon opportunities that didn’t work out as we had hoped. Time has progressed and now those particular opportunities are no longer open. Time has frozen them, historical, but impotent.
- If the only opportunities that exist are the time that we call now, then future opportunities do not exist. Some day they may exist, but from our perspective there is no certainty of any opportunity occurring even one second from now. We can create predictions and statistical probabilities. We can forecast and model a future reality. None of this will make an opportunity occur, any more than we can change historic opportunities. All we have the power to do, is look for likely grounds today, that appear fertile enough to produce opportunity tomorrow. Tomorrow’s opportunities (its time) does not exist yet and so the best we can do is to guess at where the best opportunities may sprout. Then with this information, we set out to craft ourselves until we are as much of a perfect fit for the potential opportunity as our current reality will allow us.
These conclusions lead us down a path of reconciliation with the time that we have available. We can drastically slash back the quantity of moments that we expect to perform in. No longer is there any need to perform in the past. Historic opportunity has closed as soon as the moment has passed. There is also no need or possibility of performance in any future opportunity. These opportunities don’t exist, and they may never exist as we expect them to. Our only cares need be for this very moment. All that is left is to use the opportunities in front of us now, in a way that puts us in the right place for the next wave of opportunities that are slowly rolling out.
This is a liberating concept that is available as soon as we are able to sincerely look at time as opportunity instead of all of the other rubbish that people tell us.
Time is opportunity and now is the only time
Discussion
11 comments for “Time is opportunity”
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You should use a spell checker. The fact that you misspelled oportunity a million times is very distracting. Good article otherwise.
That’s a pretty solid way to view it. It reminds me of Ekhart Tolle and the power of now. It’s a very liberating and empowering mindset if you just get into it. Anyway, good post. You have a nice, clear, writing style.
-Bart
P.S. I found your blog through your article about defusing relationship bombs, on which I commented (not altogether positively though).
Hi Mark
It is not so much that I should use a spell checker, it is that I should change which spell checker that I trust. I never publish an article until the Google spell checker tells me that there are no spelling mistakes. It looks like they don’t know how to spell opportunity either. Thanks for the heads up.
Tom
Hi Bart
I’m not familiar with Ekhart Tolle, but a quick Google search told me a little about his ideas. You may be right. I am trying to link this notion of time back to a very practical, action, idea. Am I right in thinking that Tolle is concerned with the spiritual idea of time? I guess I would have to read him to know?
Thanks
Tom
[…] Occasionally you come across an article on a blog that makes you stop and re-think some of your basic assumptions. This is such an article, posted by Tom O’Leary on LifeGoalAction. […]
Mark, it is spelled opportunity.
Hi Rhett
You are right and so is Mark, but to clear up the confusion, the original publishing that Mark was referring to had, it spelled “oportunity” and as soon as I saw his comment I edited to correct my mistake. Thanks Mark and Rhett for keeping and eye on my spelling, I need people like you to keep me on my toes.
Thanks
Tom
Yes, Eckhart tolle is a fantastic writer and really dissects our common misconception of time. Great post, and I really recommend you check out his books. They really made a difference in my life.
Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.
Hi Albert
I think I will have to check out Tolle. A couple of recommendations is all that I need to encourage me to invest a little time and see for myself.
Thanks
Tom
Thanks for the reply Tom. You won’t be disappointed with his stuff (unless you were a very experienced Buddhist, then some might be old news).
Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.
I really enjoyed reading your view on time, it was very interesting to see how you have changed your prospective on life through a new look at time!!!!