A concept that changed my life. The Time Billionaire:
Sahil Bloom@SahilBloom
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Feb 03, 2025
~4 min read
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A concept that changed my life.
The Time Billionaire:
The Time Billionaire:
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The phrase “Time Billionaire” was coined by investor Graham Duncan:
“A billion seconds is slightly over 31 years…when I see, sometimes, 20-year-olds—the thought I had was they probably have two billion seconds left. But they aren’t relating to themselves as time billionaires.”
“A billion seconds is slightly over 31 years…when I see, sometimes, 20-year-olds—the thought I had was they probably have two billion seconds left. But they aren’t relating to themselves as time billionaires.”
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The point: Time is our most precious asset.
When you're young, you are literally a "time billionaire”—rich with time.
Too many people fail to realize the value of this asset until it is gone.
Treat time as your ultimate currency—it’s all you have and you can never get it back.
When you're young, you are literally a "time billionaire”—rich with time.
Too many people fail to realize the value of this asset until it is gone.
Treat time as your ultimate currency—it’s all you have and you can never get it back.
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My friend @waitbutwhy has a Life Calendar that breaks down your life into weeks.
Each row represents one year.
I started thinking about this more with the birth of my son in May 2022. He’s almost a year old now.
As the saying goes: “The days are long but the years are short.”
Each row represents one year.
I started thinking about this more with the birth of my son in May 2022. He’s almost a year old now.
As the saying goes: “The days are long but the years are short.”
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It’s scary to look at the data on the short time we get with our children.
It peaks in your 30s and declines sharply thereafter.
Key lessons:
• The "Magic Years" will fly by if you let them.
• Be present in every moment.
Slow down and embrace the sweetness.
It peaks in your 30s and declines sharply thereafter.
Key lessons:
• The "Magic Years" will fly by if you let them.
• Be present in every moment.
Slow down and embrace the sweetness.
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Time with parents and siblings is no better.
It peaks in childhood and declines after age 20.
Key lessons:
• Time with family is limited.
• Time with parents declines sharply after age 20.
We have to prioritize and cherish every moment.
It peaks in childhood and declines after age 20.
Key lessons:
• Time with family is limited.
• Time with parents declines sharply after age 20.
We have to prioritize and cherish every moment.
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Diminishing time with family and children is replaced by more time alone.
It steadily increases throughout your life.
Key lessons:
• Embrace solitude.
• Flex your boredom muscle.
Find joy in the time you have to yourself—there will be a whole lot of it as you get older.
It steadily increases throughout your life.
Key lessons:
• Embrace solitude.
• Flex your boredom muscle.
Find joy in the time you have to yourself—there will be a whole lot of it as you get older.
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To me, being a “time billionaire” isn’t necessarily about having the time, but about the awareness of the precious nature of the time you do have.
It is about embracing the shortness of life and finding joy in ordinary daily moments of beauty.
It is about embracing the shortness of life and finding joy in ordinary daily moments of beauty.
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Last summer I was on a walk with my newborn and an older man approached me.
He said:
“I remember standing here with my newborn daughter. An old man came up to me and said ‘It goes by fast, cherish it.’ Well, my daughter is 45 now. It goes by fast, cherish it.”
It hit me hard.
He said:
“I remember standing here with my newborn daughter. An old man came up to me and said ‘It goes by fast, cherish it.’ Well, my daughter is 45 now. It goes by fast, cherish it.”
It hit me hard.
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We spend most of our lives playing a game: Everything we do is in anticipation of a future.
When it comes, we just reset to the next one:
• “I can’t wait until I’m 18 so I can [X].”
• “I can’t wait until I’m 25 so I can [Y]."
• “I can’t wait until I’m 45 so I can [Z]."
When it comes, we just reset to the next one:
• “I can’t wait until I’m 18 so I can [X].”
• “I can’t wait until I’m 25 so I can [Y]."
• “I can’t wait until I’m 45 so I can [Z]."
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It’s natural, but it’s a dangerous game—one that we will lose...eventually.
We waste a lot of energy on past and future when present is all that’s guaranteed.
Spend it wisely, with those you love, in ways you’ll never regret.
We waste a lot of energy on past and future when present is all that’s guaranteed.
Spend it wisely, with those you love, in ways you’ll never regret.
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To be sure, there are no “right” answers here.
No one can tell you WHAT to think about time. I’m just trying to provide insights on HOW to think about time.
All of life's most important journeys start with asking the right questions.
This is a good place to start.
No one can tell you WHAT to think about time. I’m just trying to provide insights on HOW to think about time.
All of life's most important journeys start with asking the right questions.
This is a good place to start.
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The concept of the “time billionaire” changed my life.
I hope it sparks you to think about yours.
Follow me @SahilBloom for more writing like this. RT the first tweet to share it with others.
I hope it sparks you to think about yours.
Follow me @SahilBloom for more writing like this. RT the first tweet to share it with others.
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Sam Harris has this idea that there’s a “last time” for everything—you just never know when it will be.
When I find myself rushing through moments, I think about it:
How many more times will my son want me to pick him up or crawl on me in bed?
Slow down—you’re gonna miss this.
When I find myself rushing through moments, I think about it:
How many more times will my son want me to pick him up or crawl on me in bed?
Slow down—you’re gonna miss this.
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When you’re 20, you probably have 2 billion seconds left.
At 50, about 1 billion remain.
How will you choose to spend yours?
What are you saying NO to by saying YES?
I’ll cover the time billionaire topic in a newsletter. Join 350,000 others here! sahilbloom.com/newsletter
At 50, about 1 billion remain.
How will you choose to spend yours?
What are you saying NO to by saying YES?
I’ll cover the time billionaire topic in a newsletter. Join 350,000 others here! sahilbloom.com/newsletter
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A few days after my son was born, I had him in bed and felt a profound sensation:
For the first time in my life, I had enough.
As ambitious people, we push for more—but really, we need to find our enough.
Never let the quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough.
For the first time in my life, I had enough.
As ambitious people, we push for more—but really, we need to find our enough.
Never let the quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough.
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The chart I made to visualize time:
Family time is limited—cherish it.
Friend time is limited—prioritize real ones.
Partner time is significant—never settle.
Children time is precious—be present.
Coworker time is significant—find energy.
Alone time is highest—love yourself.
Family time is limited—cherish it.
Friend time is limited—prioritize real ones.
Partner time is significant—never settle.
Children time is precious—be present.
Coworker time is significant—find energy.
Alone time is highest—love yourself.
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By the way, my son is significantly bigger now than that picture from our bed a few days after he was born.
About to turn 1 and I can’t believe it.
The days are long but the years are short.
About to turn 1 and I can’t believe it.
The days are long but the years are short.
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The beautiful image from the first tweet is the work of @pascalcampion.
Just went down the rabbit hole on all of his work, which is remarkable. pascalcampion.com/shop-art
Just went down the rabbit hole on all of his work, which is remarkable. pascalcampion.com/shop-art
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For anyone that wanted higher resolution images of the graphs on time, you can download a PDF of the presentation I made at the link here: sahilbloom.com/newsletter/how…
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The days are long but the years are short…
On our way to the hospital one year ago vs. today.
Same song, hits very different.
On our way to the hospital one year ago vs. today.
Same song, hits very different.
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