September 1, 2023.

Rushing through the entrepreneurial time

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Our relationship with past, present, and future determines our quality of life. The entrepreneurial kind needs to pay attention to this especially.

• If you work today for a better future, you might ignore the results of your past efforts today.
• If you spend your days researching the past to understand what to do next, you might miss the current opportunities.

Even more annoying: if we spend too much time projecting to the future or the past, we educate ourselves to keep doing that. Let me give you some samples:

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• A person who tries to obsessively understand the past as a way to heal might not spend enough time learning how to enjoy relationships and friendships today.
• A person who compulsively saves and invests for decades will not know how to enjoy once the goal is achieved.
• A person who succeeded in the past using a specific methodology might get stuck trying to replicate the same results again and again. Plus, the same person could judge others' perspectives as failures.

We must learn to enjoy more, make time for what matters, prioritize, and create boundaries.

Most of us have a linear understanding of time. We also linearly plan our lives. We use a condition to follow that linearity: if I do this, then I should get that—the famous cause and effect.

That if-then condition keeps us preparing for potential problems that exist mainly in our minds, doing things we don't like as a sacrifice, and mostly keeps us tense in confusion because we can't see some of the results we expected with clarity.

Yet most of us would agree that our best moments happen without a plan, without unnecessary effort, with the company of others, and simply. Our experience suggests that joy thrives without conditions.

If the linear understanding of time is faulty and presents the risk of taking us off course, why aren't we changing it?

• "The Western conception of time as a linear, progressive force is not universal. Many cultures view time as cyclical, with no clear beginning or end." - Edward T. Hall, anthropologist.
• "The way we understand time can also have a significant impact on our behavior. For example, in cultures where time is seen as linear, people may be more likely to plan for the future and less likely to enjoy the present moment. In contrast, in cultures where time is seen as cyclical, people may be more likely to focus on the present moment and less likely to worry about the future." - Edward T. Hall, anthropologist.

Intuitively, we know when we are off course. Our purpose, consciously or not, lets us know through our emotions when we are not in balance. Take note when that happens and ask yourself:

• Am I spending too much time focusing on the past or the future?
• Am I practicing enough to enjoy what I have achieved so far?
• Am I exaggerating with my planning?

This year, I haven't used my SUP boards for casual weekday lake visits. I haven't ridden my bike and neglected my yard at home. Some projects started working well for me. I kept the focus on what works, but I forgot to create a balance for what matters: the quality of my life in the present.

• "In some cultures, time is seen as a fluid and ever-changing thing. This can be helpful for reducing stress, as it reminds us that nothing is permanent and that everything is constantly evolving. In these cultures, people are more likely to focus on the present moment and to enjoy the journey, rather than worrying about the destination." - Helen Fisher, anthropologist.

I think that understanding time linearly is what compels us to jump in the hamster's wheel or engage in the infamous rat race. We entrepreneurs thrive when we are free and independent. The if-then condition I talked about can be exploited, used to manipulate our opinions, and convince us that we need to jump in the hamster wheel and run.

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I wish you a positive September! I also wish you to make time for what matters most to you.

Celebrate what you have achieved so far!

Jose.