Well, ok, it was four dollars for two sandwiches.
That’s because the local Subway store held its anniversary recently, and for the day, they were selling 2 sandwiches for the price of one.
And so then there was a really, really long line in front of the Subway store. Kudos to the employees manning the store that day. That was a war zone.
And good job to the people who were able to wait an hour and a half to buy two sandwiches for four dollars.
Yet somehow, I wouldn’t consider that such a steal.
Of course, granted, we’re not all millionaires, with endless amounts of money to spend so that we all don’t get stuck in lines. That’s not the point here.
I don’t like long lines, and a lot of people don’t like them too. Yes, there are some people more patient than others, but that’s not the point here either.
The question at the heart of the matter is:
“How much do you value your time?”
Is it by how much you’re being paid?
There was a time when I would weigh options and how I would spend my time based on how much I was being paid at my job.
So what this basically means is, when I want to take a day off for some important matter, I would consider if I could take the hit of not earning my salary for that day.
Or when I would be offered to run workshops or activities outside of my work, and schedule willing, I would base my decision, and sometimes even my asking rate, based on how much I would otherwise earn for the day had I just clocked in and out of the office.
But then again, I was being paid so, so low, that nearly any other project offered to me was almost an automatic yes.
Is it by what you stand to gain from what you do?
So then, rather just staying in the office glued to my computer screen and just pushing papers, I took every chance I could get to run workshops, create modules, face and teach people, because I was learning so much more from that experience.
The outside offers were also explorations and first steps into a new income source, and also a new chance at self-development, and even a new career.
Is it by who you will get to know?
I was also getting to know so many great and passionate people, as well as people who were going through the same things as me. All very inspiring, and terribly real people.
And there have been times where I stayed in line for more than an hour to watch artists at a concert, or to hear an author speak. There were workshops and training seminars I attended where not only did I learn a lot, but I met really great people.
There have been times as well where the function or event I attended wasn’t really great for me, but my attending was so worth it because of the quality of people I got to meet and interact with.
People have a magic about them, and they either use it for evil or good. Or just hide that magic and let it rot away.
Be the kind of person whose magic will be for the good of everybody, including yourself.
And that starts with meeting and being around great and inspiring people.
Is it by how many lives you’ll touch?
We’re only on this earth for a short amount of time. But more than enough to make an impact on the lives of other people.
So then, there have been times when faced with a choice on where to spend my time, I choose the option that can create a positive impact on more lives.
I know it sounds very idealistic, especially in the face of bills and rough reality, but really, think about it.
How do you think millions are made? How do you think companies and people become household names, and some people earn huge sums of money?
They were able to help a lot of people.
They were able to have an impact on a lot of people.
They were able to touch the lives of a lot of people.
Because at the end of the day, whether you’re pushing papers, doing reports, making policies, setting direction,
You will affect people. You will affect their lives.
Is it by the opportunities you can create?
Because how we spend our time is ultimately up to us, then it will be up to us to create value, and rewards, with it.
Can we start something that will help a lot of people, and help ourselves as well?
Can I use my time to do something that will create more opportunities for me in the future?
pro tip: studying and research is good, but action and just doing it is 100x better.
Is it worth more than two sandwiches for four dollars?
Because most of the time, the small savings in money isn’t worth the larger investment in time.
Unless your time is valued at nothing. I hope you don’t see it that way.
If your time IS valued at nothing right now, there is always hope.
And you can start by valuing yourself more, and offering valuable things and experiences as well.
How do you measure what’s your time worth? Please reply in the comments below!
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