Time - Is there a more valuable commodity?

The World's Most Valuable Resource?

One of Merriam Webster's definitions of a commodity is "something useful or valued".  If you watch CNBC or read any financial publications you quickly realize just about anything can be bought and sold as a commodity. The value of the commodity is going to be based on things like the level of demand for the good and its availability.

Coincidentally what might be the most valuable commodity on the planet cannot be traded on Wall Street.  That commodity is time.

What makes time so valuable?  For one, it isn't sustainable.  Once a moment has passed it's gone.  It cannot be replaced.  Cannot be recycled.  And you cannot go to a store (or Amazon) and purchase more of it.  And almost everyone wishes they could accumulate more of it.  

The first track, and possibly the most popular song from Dream Theater's 'Images and Words' album, which was released in 1992, is titled 'Pull Me Under'.  The last line of the chorus really drives home the idea that once a moment is gone; it's gone forever: "Every breath leaves me one less to my last".

Realizing the Value of Time:

When I was young I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about how valuable time is.  For one thing, I naively thought I had plenty of it.

Once I reached my thirties and was fully consumed in the rat race, I started to really focus on the value of time.  More importantly trying to come up with ways to seem as though I have more of it.  It's an ongoing process.

If I'm being honest, it is a source of anxiety in my life.  I'm in my early 40s.  According to my grandmother, both of my maternal great-grandfathers died in their early 60s.  My grandfathers both passed in their 70s.  If I retire at the traditional age of 65 (assuming I live that long) how many years do I have to truly enjoy life?  And depending on my health, what will my quality of life be?  Although  this is a source of stress for which I have to deal, it has also been motivating to be better at valuing the time I do have now.  

One change I made that seems to make a difference is getting out of bed early every day (yes, even on weekends and other days off).  I go to bed early to make sure I get enough sleep, so I'm technically not adding any hours to my day.  But, I get out of bed when most people (not just those under my roof) are still asleep.  Therefore, I'm able to get things done with little to no distraction.  It's something I recommend.  But be warned, establishing a routine is exponentially more difficult if you don't do it seven days a week.  

"No such thing as spare time.  No such thing as free time.

All you got is life time. GO!"

-Henry Rollins

-'Shine' from the album 'Weight' (1994)