We are alive for only about four thousand weeks (no guarantees of course).
How we choose to spend those weeks defines the quality of our life.
To quote directly from “Four Thousand Weeks” written by Oliver Burkeman:
“Your experience of being alive consists of nothing other than the sum of everything to which you pay attention. At the end of your life, looking back, whatever compelled your attention from moment to moment is simply what your life will have been. So when you pay attention to something you don’t especially value, it’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re paying with your life.”
Wow.
If that didn’t make you think, maybe read it again.
I think about all the stuff vying for our attention in this day and age.
All day, every day we are bombarded by messages telling us what to think, how to live, who to vote for, and what to buy.
Our life will consist of the messages that we pay the most attention to.
Think of all the things you give your time to. To give your time, is to pay with your life.
Whether it’s two seconds, two days, or two years of time, you’ve given a chunk of your life in exchange for whatever you gave your attention to.
So far in 2025 I’ve been ruthlessly eliminating things that I don’t feel are a good exchange for a chunk of my life.
Facebook and Instagram are no longer on my phone. My usual hour of YouTube before bed I’ve sacrificed in the name of more sleep.
This allows me to get up earlier to start my day the way I want to (I loosely follow “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod if you were interested and looking for ways to level up your own mornings).
On the flip side, it has me thinking of things like others reading this email, taking part in our service at The Armoury, and the things I put out that people have to give me their attention in exchange for.
It makes me think that I need to raise the bar even higher. I need to be better. I need to pursue greatness in everything I do. People trusting me with their time and attention is no small matter. It needs to be an investment, not an expense.
I need to leave people better than I found them. Where the other areas of their life, their health, their relationships, their emotions are all better because they gave a chunk of their life to me.
That is just me and my thoughts.
What about you? Are you satisfied with what you’re giving chunks of your life to each and every day? Where are you getting a poor return?
It could be spending time with people that you don’t particularly like to, doing a job you hate, excessive screen time watching things that don’t really matter or add anything to your life.
This doesn’t mean we can’t watch some things, relax, and have some fun. It’s just to get you thinking.
What are some things you could swap to make that time a better investment (like my nightly YouTube habit for more sleep swap for example)?
Our life will be made up of what we give our attention to.
Will continuing to give your attention to the things you currently are realistically lead to your best life? What’s one thing you’re going to change?
I welcome you to email me at matt @ armouryfitness.ca with your answer.
Thanks for giving me a chunk of your life!
