Time is infinitely more valuable than money

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OPINION

By Emmanuel Okeng

In the words of Myron Golden, it is a globally accepted naked lie that time is money. The truth is far more sobering. Money is no match for time. In fact, money follows time.

David Oyedepo once observed that you can earn a million dollars in a single day, but you can never have a million hours in your lifetime. Time is finite. It cannot be stored, borrowed, or replaced. It is the raw material of everything we become. Without it, nothing is possible.

We often speak about personal branding, career growth, saving, and compound interest. These ideas are powerful, but for many people, they remain out of reach. The reason is not always a lack of opportunity or intelligence. More often, it is a lack of disciplined use of time. Without focus, intention, and consistent effort, even the best strategies will produce little result.

Growth demands something deeper. It requires undivided attention to one’s craft, a willingness to study and learn continuously, and the discipline to go beyond the minimum. It calls for intellectual effort and a commitment to producing meaningful and valuable work.

A common excuse among young people is the claim that they lack capital. Yet a closer look reveals a different reality. Many who say they lack capital spend long hours consuming content and entertainment. Weekends disappear into social media, streaming platforms, sports, news cycles, and endless online distractions. Time is being spent freely, but not invested wisely.

The issue, therefore, is not the absence of capital. It is the misuse of time.

Disciplined focus on one’s craft is often the true starting point. Jim Rohn taught that formal education will make you a living, but self-education will make you a fortune. He also reminded us that income is not determined by the number of hours worked, but by the value created within those hours.

This insight shifts the conversation. When a person commits to learning, skill building, and deliberate practice, the value of their time begins to rise. Over time, this growth compounds. Skills deepen, knowledge expands, and competence increases. The result is an ability to create more value in less time, which in turn leads to higher earning potential.

Compounding is not limited to money. It applies equally to knowledge, discipline, and effort. Whatever a person consistently devotes time and energy to will grow. The process may be slow at first, but it is always powerful.

At the same time, there is a hidden cost to distraction. Much of what fills our days offers little lasting benefit. Endless entertainment, mindless scrolling, and constant consumption create temporary satisfaction but leave no meaningful return. Yet this same time is what many people pray for when they ask for a financial breakthrough. The irony is striking. The capital they seek is already in their hands, disguised as time.

Scripture reinforces this principle. In Proverbs 22:29, we are reminded that a person skilled in their work will stand before kings. In Proverbs 14:23, we are told that all hard work brings profit, while mere talk leads to poverty. Even in sports, the lesson holds true. Alex Ferguson famously said that hard work overcomes talent when talent does not work hard.

The ability to prioritise is equally important. In his book Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy teaches that we must focus on what is important rather than what merely feels urgent. Many of the activities that demand our attention are not truly important. They are distractions that consume time without adding value.

There is a simple but powerful observation that intentional people are always either earning or learning. Yet many drift between activities that achieve neither. They settle into comfort, entertainment, and routine, often supported by well-crafted excuses. Over time, those excuses accumulate, and the cost becomes clear in the form of missed opportunities and regret.

Time is not just another resource. It is life’s most valuable currency. The way it is used determines what a person becomes and what they are able to achieve. When used wisely, it multiplies knowledge, skill, and opportunity. When wasted, it cannot be recovered by any amount of money.

The choice is always present. Use time with purpose, or lose it without return.

The writer is a finance professional