An Ounce of Gold Cannot Buy an Inch of Time
Why Time Is the Most Valuable Currency We Have
My mom used to say something that has stayed with me:
“An ounce of gold cannot buy an inch of time.”
It’s simple. It’s powerful. And the older I get… the more I understand it.
Because time is the one thing we cannot earn back, borrow, negotiate, or replace.
We can make more money. We can rebuild businesses. We can even repair relationships.
But time?
Once it’s spent…it’s gone.
And that changes everything.
Time Is the Only True Currency
We often hear “Time is money.”
But I actually think time is more valuable than money.
Money is renewable. Time is not.
Consider this:
• The average human lifespan is about 4,000 weeks.
• By age 40, most people have already lived half their life.
• The average person spends 90,000 hours working.
• And we spend roughly 26 years sleeping.
That leaves a surprisingly small amount of time for:
• Family
• Friends
• Creativity
• Purpose
• Joy
When you really think about it… time becomes sacred.
My Children Are My Bankers
Lately, I’ve been thinking about time in a new way.
My children are my bankers.
Not in a financial sense but in a time sense. Because they hold the most valuable account I have: the time I choose to invest in them.
And I want to make sure that account is always full.
I want them to know I have:
• Time for their stories
• Time for their ideas
• Time for their worries
• Time for their dreams
Because one day, those opportunities shrink.
Kids grow. Schedules fill. Life moves quickly.
And unlike money, I can’t go back and deposit more time later.
So I try to protect that investment.
Because when all is said and done, those moments become the greatest return.
The Entrepreneur Reality: You’re Always On the Clock
Being an entrepreneur also changes your relationship with time.
Because when you build something…you’re never really off the clock.
Ideas come at night. Opportunities show up unexpectedly. Texts, calls, and emails don’t follow business hours.
You’re thinking about:
• The next opportunity
• The next partnership
• The next chapter
• The next way to grow
And while that’s exciting, it also makes time even more precious.
Because entrepreneurship is not a 9–5 job.
It’s often 24/7 thinking, dreaming, building, and creating.
Which makes protecting personal time even more important.
Because if we don’t intentionally create space… work can quietly take over everything.
A Weekend Conversation That Stayed With Me
Over the weekend, I had friends visiting.
We cooked (well… they cooked… I watched ). We laughed. We told stories. We enjoyed being together.
And somewhere in the middle of those conversations, this idea surfaced:
Who gets access to our time?
Because access to someone’s time is actually access to their life.
And that’s when it hit me…I give away a lot of my time.
And honestly, I’m good with that.
I love helping people. I love connecting. I love being available.
But as I grow older, I’m realizing something important:
Not all time should be given away equally.
Because when you give someone your time… you’re giving them something you can never get back.
The Time Equation: Generosity vs. Boundaries
This isn’t about becoming transactional.
It’s about becoming intentional.
There are people and moments where giving your time freely is the greatest gift:
• Family
• Friends who fill your cup
• Mentoring someone who needs guidance
• Being present when someone needs you
That time is priceless.
But there are also moments where protecting your time matters:
• Endless meetings without purpose
• Conversations that drain energy
• Requests that don’t align with your values
• Opportunities that don’t move your life forward
Because every yes is also a no to something else.
Every hour spent one place is an hour not spent somewhere else.
Time Becomes More Valuable As We Grow
When we’re younger, time feels endless.
We think:
“I’ll do that later.”
“I’ll call them next week.”
“I’ll start that someday.”
But as life unfolds, we begin to understand: Someday is not guaranteed.
And that’s when time becomes more precious.
We become more selective. More intentional. More thoughtful.
Not because we care less…but because we understand more.
My Mom Was Right
“An ounce of gold cannot buy an inch of time.”
The more I think about it, the more I realize:
Time isn’t just money. Time is meaning. Time is connection. Time is life.
So I’m being more thoughtful about:
• Who gets my time
• How I spend my time
• And when I choose to give it freely
Because some of the best investments we ever make…aren’t financial.
They’re moments.
And those moments…are priceless.
And if time is currency… then my children are my bankers.
And that’s an account I never want to run low.
Because in the end, the most valuable life…
