I walked by a psychic’s storefront studio. The window said that this person had been reading palms and predicting the future since 1989. It was a large space on a vibrant New York City corner. The rent must be astronomical. Or else the purveyor owns the building.

Given that this retail space is quite coveted and the storefront is almost always empty, is this the best use for the space? Wouldn’t the psychic owner do better by renting it to someone who values it more highly?

The metaphor for our use of time is clear.

The next few minutes or days or months–sure, you own them, and you can put them to whatever use you choose. But just because you’ve been using your time in a particular way for a long time doesn’t mean you need to keep doing that.

January 31, 2024