What Your Minutes Say About You
We’re taught to chase milestones—promotions, awards, the next big thing. But grand moments do not always shape our lives; they’re built minute by minute. Every small decision, every quiet act of attention, writes the story of who we become. The question is—what do your minutes say about you?
What’s at Stake for You
You may not feel you’re wasting your life—but have you actually looked at how you spend your time? Minute by minute?
Most people don’t.
"They wait for 'someday' to be present. 'Later' to slow down. 'When things settle' to finally live the way they mean to."
But minutes don’t wait. They slip by, silent and unnoticed. You don’t lose a life all at once—you give it away in pieces.
That’s what’s at stake.
This isn’t about guilt or hustle. It’s about clarity. Alignment. Living a life, you’re proud of—not eventually, but now.
A Small Moment That Hit Me Hard
Last summer, my daughter Ava lost her first tooth.
It wasn’t dramatic. No tears. Just a soft clink on the bathroom floor. She ran out holding the tiny thing in her hand, beaming.
I was on my laptop, mid-project. I smiled. Said we’d celebrate “in a little… .
I never got to the “bit.”
Later, I saw a note on her nightstand next to the tooth. She’d written:
“Dear Tooth Fairy, This is my first tooth. I hope you like it. My dad didn’t seem that excited, but I know you will be.”
I read it in the dark, sitting on the edge of her bed. And I felt it—like something precious had passed me by, and I hadn’t even noticed until it was gone.
Not because I didn’t care. But because I thought I had more time.
The Truth About How Life Is Built
We chase big goals. “Your life takes shape in the tiny, forgettable moments you live through every day.”
The ones you choose to pay attention—or don’t.
Whether you close the laptop or keep typing. Whether you ask how someone’s day went—or just nod through it. Whether you take 60 seconds to look your kid in the eyes.
Most people live like meaning comes later. After the raise. After the move. After the next thing.
But real life isn’t waiting in the wings. It’s onstage now, happening in real time—whether or not you’re tuned in.
Here’s the Catch
You won’t know which moments mattered most until they’re behind you.
They won’t look special. They won’t announce themselves. They’ll look like errands and school runs and dinner at home.
If you're always scanning the horizon for something bigger, you’ll walk right past the good stuff.
You’re not promised a bigger moment. Just the one you’re in.
And that moment has more power than you think.
The Twist Most People Miss
You think you need more time. Or more motivation. Or better circumstances.
You don’t.
You already have everything you need to build a meaningful life. The raw material is there. The only thing missing is your attention.
You don’t have to do more. You just have to see more.
Try this for one day:
· Choose one minute every hour to stop and look around.
· Notice something you’d usually ignore. A sound. A smell. Someone near you.
· Ask: Is this moment aligned with who I want to be?
If it’s not, change one thing. That’s it. One.
Small shifts change lives.
And when you notice you’ve been missing, it’s like putting glasses on for the first time. The world sharpens. People feel closer. Time feels slower. More yours.
What Ava Said Later
A few weeks after the tooth incident, we were building LEGO on the floor—no devices, no distractions.
She said, totally unprompted:
“I like it when you play with me without your computer.”
I asked why. She said: “Because it feels like you’re really here.” And that’s what it comes down to. Everyone you care about wants to feel you’re really here. And they can tell the difference.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to show up, one minute at a time.
So, the question still stands: What do your minutes say about you?
Because whether or not you're paying attention, they’re speaking.
Oh, and yes, the tooth fairy paid a visit to my daughter and was very generous.
Call to Action:
This week, start a Minutes Matter log. Don’t overthink it. Just write down one meaningful moment each day that would've slipped past you if you hadn’t been paying attention. Do it for 7 days. You'll be shocked by what you find.