Where Did All The Time Go? Don’t Take Life For Granted

How many times in your life have you stopped to ask, “Where did all the time go?” For example, I first wrote this post in 2010 and more than ten years have now passed by. Looking back at history brings mixed emotions of happiness and fear.

How can it be that 20 years have passed since Pearl Jam was huge and mullets were still in? It can't be, can it? The 90's don't seem too long ago, yet so much has happened since.

People say that we've just experienced the lost decade, given the lack of returns in the stock market.  I disagree completely. What's more important here is ironically nominal increases not “real”.  I

f you compare what you have now to what you had 10 years ago, I'm pretty sure you have lots more. Heck, some of you may have still been in school or had absolutely nothing but a tit to suckle. You may have developed a business, or found someone over the past 10 years. Rest assured you've made a lot of progress.

Where Did All The Time Go?

The one thing we have less of is time. Time accelerates as we get older. 10 years past means 10 years less of life to go. I think about what I've done and what I'm doing in 5 to 10 year blocks all the time. If I plant the seed now, will the project be worth something in 5 years?

If I slave away at business school part-time, will I be able to leverage the degree and the relationships 10 years down the road? And, if I master one guitar song a month, will I be able to play 6 albums worth of songs in 5 years?  

The idea is to just start now and stay consistent. You ignore the short-term tribulations and just focus long term. The more you do each day, the less you'll dread saying where did all the time go?

The problem is that eventually, we all run out of rope. That's when we can only look back and hopefully smile at all the things we've accomplished.

Related: The Secret To Your Success: 10 Years Of Unwavering Commitment 

A SONG THAT CAPTURES THE QUESTION IN THE TITLE

“Name” by The Goo Goo Dolls

And even though the moment passed me by
I still can't turn away
Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose
Got tossed along the way
And letters that you never meant to send
Get lost or thrown away

And now we're grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don't belong to no one
That's a shame
But if you could hide beside me
Maybe for a while
And I won't tell no one your name

Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there
Did you get to be a star
And don't it make you sad to know that life
Is more than who we are

You grew up way too fast
And now there's nothing to believe
And reruns all become our history
A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell em your name

I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
It's lonely where you are come back down
And I won't tell em your name

Create Something Great Today

If “Name” was introduced today, I'm sure it would be a smash hit. Perhaps that's the idea, to create something that'll be great, no matter what time period it's introduced.

Click the below link if you dare hear my attempt to sing “Name” with Mags, my acoustic guitar.  Part of my new year's resolutions is to play, sing, and record 10 favorite songs. I'm not quitting my day job don't worry, but here's #1! Thanks Shane Mac for suggesting what mic to buy, and inspiring me to go practice. Mad respect for those trying to make it as musicians.

“Name” by The Goo Goo Dolls sung by Sam

Stop Wondering Where Did All The Time Go, Read More!

If you don't want to look back on your life with regret wondering where did all the time go, make the most of each day. Start today!

Here's some further reading to entertain you and help you on your journey

Readers, what's your song?  Any acoustic guitar players out there?

For those who are singers, musicians, and visual artists, how do you get over your fear of performance and display?

Any clever ways to make time seem like its slowing down?

Regards,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries”

Follow on Twitter @FinancialSamura and subscribe to our RSS or E-mail feed.

55 thoughts on “Where Did All The Time Go? Don’t Take Life For Granted”

  1. Ms. Conviviality

    Hi Sam, I know this is an older post but wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your recording. It reminded me of the VERY FIRST concert I attended with my sister while in college. The Goo Goo Dolls will always have a special place in my heart because of the memories.

  2. I’m amazed at your musical talent, mostly because you belittle it so much I just expected it to sound awful but you both played and sang great, no ear bleeding here.

    I’ve mentioned before that I’m an aspiring piano man, and here’s one I really want to learn. I can sing along if someone else plays the piano, which is much more difficult than I imagined.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jByhNAIGFFw

    The lyrics are great too, very thought provoking.
    .-= Jesse´s last blog ..Linkworthy: Prescriptions, Pennies and Dora the Explorer =-.

    1. Hey Jesse, thanks man. No big deal. Glad your ears didn’t bleed. Frankly, it was the best I could do. Now I’ve got to record 9 more songs to complete one of my new year’s resolutions!

      The piano is beautiful. I’m amazed how two hands can play independently at once. I’d fail miserably.

      Play on!

      1. Ya did great. I’m looking forward to your other 9 songs, maybe we can do a compilation :)

        I’ll be putting my recording up probably next week. I hadn’t made a new years resolution about playing in public as I just started playing in March, but I do want to be able to play for people. I have been playing for anyone that will listen so I can get used to the pressure.

        I, too, am amazed at how two hands, and so many notes, can be played all at the same time and make just a beautiful sound.
        .-= Jesse´s last blog ..How to Boost Your Saving Power =-.

  3. Sam,

    And to answer your questions you posted I do play acoustic guitar as well. At the moment I like playing Led Zeppelin’s “The Rover”, it’s all good fun.

    To overcome your fear of public performance you cannot worry about the outcome, just do it.

    If you would like to slow time down at any time I recommend holding your breath, it will make two minutes feel like an hour. Repeat as necessary.

    -Mike

  4. Sam,

    My comments as a fellow musician:

    1. Firstly, Good on you for putting this out there. It takes effort and confidence and reflects well on you to post it.

    2. On the song I think your phrasing and harmonies during the verse sections are a bit off. Realize you used multi-tracks and a double vocal which does add to depth but the particular harmonies you use and the timing don’t sound that smooth. Also I think the guitar part you are playing in the verse is close to the original line but slightly off. But this is from my memory of the song only, however I can usually remember the exact guitar line so feel confident in saying this. Did you learn this by ear or by tab on the ‘net?

    3. On the positive side I think you nailed the chorus sections. You have a very pleasant sounding baritone voice and can explore more songs in this range- you will do well on several styles and songs.

    4. I’m a musician who plays multiple instruments, writes songs and can sing – however I have a weak sounding voice unless I do a powerful scream- in which case I can sound like Tool (Maynard Keenan), Nirvana (Kurt Cobain), Roger Waters or Neil Young.

    Given that I live in Asia and screaming doesn’t go over well I’d rather have the smooth baritone voice that you have.

    Good on you Sam, and keep jamming. I’m much more happy to be known for being a musician vs successful career guy / money accumulator. The best things in life really are free!!!

    -Mike

    1. Hi Mike,

      I looked up the tab, and randomly tried to start figuring out the strumming. I think any experienced musician can ear the somewhat offbeat way in my strumming. I’m definitely not that good, but I think it’s good enough to be able to get some songs out there! What I tried to do was personalize the song to make it somewhat my own. That’s the beauty of music, to sing and be able to play the same basic structure, but in a slightly different way.

      I’d love to hear a clip of you playing one of your songs and singing. Please record one and copy it here in comments! If you could also do a 20 second tutorial on the chords, and strumming pattern, that’d be great too. I’m always looking to play new songs and practice!

      Cheers,

      Sam
      .-= admin´s last blog ..Pretend You Have Arrived So You Can Become =-.

      1. Sam,

        Sorry I’ve not got around to posting a link with me playing- been quite busy and wanted to do this right.

        Mike

  5. Samurai-san – Big picture is important no doubt, but a single focus can result in many missteps and mistakes along the way. Keeping an eye on the road while watching each step gives you the chance to improve and adapt along the way to maximize not only your finances, your time and your life.

    Excellent job on the song. More credit to you to taking the step, that is very cool. No acoustics here. I’ve built one electric so far and another in perpetual design phase. However, I have an acoustic on my bucket list.

    I’ll leave the singing to the talented the stage fright is a breeze though. You have to “own” your material. If it comes from your heart and is something you believe in, your audience will appreciate what you offer. That’s truth. But if you don’t buy that, go to Dale Carnegie’s 12 week program. It’s worth every penny.

    Who still has their pens?
    .-= LeanLifeCoach´s last blog ..Are You Married To A Gambler? =-.

    1. I guess “owning” your material means practicing until you don’t even have to look at where to put your fingers, and all the words come out naturally.

      Thanks for your comments. I’m impressed you can BUILD guitars! I’m sure you are being modest and can surely sing and play as well! Snap some pics of your latest models, would love to see em!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..Pretend You Have Arrived So You Can Become =-.

  6. Pearl Jam is still a great band, their newest album is really good, they never were forgotten.

  7. Wow… the 90’s were 20 years ago?! I can still remember watching Steve Urkel and other shows on TGIF… Those were the good ol’ days!

    Anyhow, something that helps me kinda slow down time is just take deep breaths throughout the day. And take time to reflect on your life. That way you remember more of what went on during those past years.
    .-= Darren´s last blog ..The Millionaire Next Door | Book Review =-.

  8. You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time. Well, you could maximize your lifespan by making wise choices when it comes to diet, exercise, health care, stress management, etc. But you can’t make more time.

    Set goals, get them accomplished quickly, and enjoy the ride. Its all about HWR – health, wealth, and relationships – they are all interrelated.

    That’s my philosophical moment for this morning:)

    By the way – excellent blog.
    .-= Squirrelers´s last blog ..Squirreling Gone Wild – #4 =-.

  9. Lovingkind123

    So sentimental, the post! Great job, Sam, on playing and singing that “Name” song! Didn’t know you can do music, too.

    I was like Rob wanting to know if there is a Next Life. I spent many years searching, and I read books related – many of them written by Ruth Montgomery, Sylvia Cranston, Dr. Brian Weiss, and Mdm Blatvasky. I used to play new age music when I was reading them.

    You know what – some of the music I used to play can still bring me back to the past, then into the future when I listen to them! Music transcends time and space. It is spiritual!

    It’s nice to have MONEY, but money doesn’t do the same… Do you think we can attain the same joy if we make good use of our money? Maybe we can.

    1. Lovingkind – Thanks for your thoughts! Who knows what the “Next Life” holds… whatever it is, I hope it’s progress.

      Music really does bring us back to a certain time… it’s such an incredible feel. I think most of us love music, and thank goodness for it. It’s when we try and replicate music, or make our own where we realize, dang, it’s harder than it sounds, and how brilliant many musicians are!

      It’s more fun making good of our money for someone else, for sure!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..5 Money Habits I Learned That Will Never Make Me Rich =-.

  10. Single Mom Rich Mom

    Oh good job Sam!

    My personal favorite as far as a “music and life” song has to be “Cats in the Cradle” – it’s been around forever, but I like Ugly Kid Joe’s version:
    .-= Single Mom Rich Mom´s last blog ..Internet forums – fulfilling or sucking the life out of you? Also some thoughts on being an achievement freak – and being ashamed to admit it. =-.

    1. Single Mom Rich Mom

      Shoot, hit a wrong key stroke combination. Here’s the song – it’s just a reminder of the passage of time and how important it is to spend time with your kids when they’re young or they won’t spend time with you when you’re old.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32yjbCSVpU

      The song that got me back playing piano was the k.d. lang version of Hallelujah that she sang at the latest Olympics in Vancouver:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE

      Only problem is that I hear her and am too intimidated to sing because she’s that good. So you won’t be hearing a performance out of me any time soon. :-)
      .-= Single Mom Rich Mom´s last blog ..Internet forums – fulfilling or sucking the life out of you? Also some thoughts on being an achievement freak – and being ashamed to admit it. =-.

  11. Hey awesome job! Your guitar and vocals sound great! You should give yourself more credit as a musician. I think I learned maybe 3 cords on the guitar before I gave up and moved on to something else. I love listening and watching people play though – guitar is really cool. …It is pretty crazy how fast time flies. I’m really glad I started keeping a log of all the various accomplishments (big and small) that I do each year. It’s a great way to keep track of what I was doing over a long span of time (my memory’s not what it used to be) and it feels good writing down goals I’ve reached. It also keeps me motivated to stay active if my list in the current year isn’t very big.

    1. Oh don’t worry, I’m not that delusional Charlie! It’s just a resolution, and a whole lotta fun.

      A log of the good and the bad stuff is a great idea. In fact, I’ve implemented some Da Vinci code into many of my posts so that I can keep a recording of things going on my life as I write too. Thanks for all your encouragement and participation through all these months!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..The Good Times Are Back Again – The Indulgent List Of Things =-.

      1. it’s been really fun following all of your posts. they’re so creative and informative at the same time

  12. Live Richly

    Well Sam, you definitely have a lot of guts for putting your song out there! My husband plays guitar and has been in a few bands but I never learned. This definitely inspires me to take those singing lessons I keep thinking about but never actually take.

    1. Hi LR – I thought to myself, “what the hell!” lol. What’s the worst that could happen yeah? It was so much fun getting the mic and figuring out how to mix the three tracks together. I was actually in my garage doing it for half the time.

      Ahh, to be a young whipper snapper in high school again. That would be fun. Take those singing lessons you want, or go ahead and sing with your husband. You guys will have A LOT of fun!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..Over The Hill At 40 – Age Discrimination In The Workplace =-.

      1. I should do that! I have a Mac with GarageBand already, I just have to drag out his guitar…

        Jennifer

  13. Shane Mac here… :). Thanks for the shout out Sam and if that is your first recording then you are set… It only goes up with music. The more you do it the better it gets.

    Rock on man!

    Shane Mac

  14. Thanks Forest! I’m glad I didn’t surprise you on the downside! lol. It took a lot of time and guts frankly to record this, so I appreciate your thoughts.

    It’s funny how we’re stuck in our youth. It’s emotions and nostalgia that really keep us coming back for more.

    I’m excited for your adventure with your partner! I’m sure you’ll look back and smile at all the good times. Perhaps we really do overestimate the amount of money we need to be happy. Thanks for sharing your story!
    .-= admin´s last blog ..5 Money Habits I Learned That Will Never Make Me Rich =-.

  15. I was always partial to “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, especially the newer version that they put out for their Acoustic album in the early 90’s. And after performances I’d tell all the girls, “I wrote that… for you”.

    haha, Goo Goo Dolls and their alternate tunings. Can’t remember hearing a baritone lead singer in pop music since the Crash Test Dummies. Nice set, Samurai.

    What equipment do you use to record? Interesting layering technique you have there.
    .-= chubbuni13´s last blog ..The Bride of Frankenstein is Our Gardener =-.

    1. Nice dude. I like “Landslide” myself as well. The only thing is, I think I’ve played/heard it one too many times!

      I never thought of myself as baritone. I could try singing in a higher voice, but it would feel a little strained. I love the Crash Test Dummies! “Hmmmm, hmmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm……” was a good one.

      All I did was use a Blue Mic, and Garageband on the Mac. I record three tracks separately and combined them to get a little bit of dimension to the song.

      Love to hear your stuff one day too!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..Over The Hill At 40 – Age Discrimination In The Workplace =-.

      1. Nunzio Bruno

        Not sure if my reply to you ever made it up ther Financial Samurai..I hope so because it was a big thanks to you for explaining what The Yakezie Alexa Challenge was and why it’s so important. You are def. a motivator!
        .-= Nunzio Bruno´s last blog ..When I grow up.. =-.

  16. Nice song Sam, respect for putting it on here. There really are no rules on FinancialSamurai.com! :)

    Regarding the post, I’m with Rob, I think we play a lot of tricks on ourselves to keep pushing on in the face of the knowledge that it might be to a cliff edge. Google “Aubade by Philip Larkin”. An incredible, sad, beautiful, terrifying poem.

    I don’t want to get started on music and the ’90s or we’ll be here all night. My time.

    On the subject of time, I seem to recall reading some science saying one way of slowing it down is to try to do a lot of different things — don’t do a routine every day. Even just changing your route to work can make a difference. Something to do with how our brain lays down markers or similar, I don’t remember the details and I’ve not really lived like that.

    Not too late to try, perhaps I’ll take Forest’s approach one of these days…

    1. Mate, did you just listen to an Outback Steakhouse commercial where their tagline is, “No rules, just right!”??! I bet it was subliminal!

      Love having my own site, b/c there really is no rules. So fun doing whatever I want, and so can you!

      I am going to try a different routine.. one as simple as taking a different bus to work. Thanks for that tip.

      I read “Aubade”, and that is pretty depressing. I wonder if there is an audio version, b/c I’d love to hear Philip recite!
      .-= admin´s last blog ..Don’t Have Children If You Can’t Take Care Of Yourself =-.

  17. Nunzio Bruno

    Great songs!! The message of this post was an awesome one too! People put way to much emphasis on the short and ubber-short term and lose focus on the end results. They create pressures and stresses that don’t exist in the short term and lose the experience of the ride when the end finally comes. I play guitar too!! Not well but just good enough to get through my favorite songs and try to impress the girl :)
    .-= Nunzio Bruno´s last blog ..When I grow up.. =-.

      1. Nunzio Bruno

        Haha thanks! Yeah I’m not really that good and I basically play what I like or learn what she requests but it’s def a blast. I wanted to let you know too that I’ve seen that The Yakezie Alexa Challenge badge a few places and I am totally joining. I’ve installed the bar and figure since I’m already spending a lot of time sharing the love I won’t really have to change anything. I love seeing that other people have similar passions and the funny thing is our voices are all different enough to keep things interesting. So thanks for the inspiration and the explanation of what that badge was about!
        .-= Nunzio Bruno´s last blog ..When I grow up.. =-.

  18. Kevin@InvestItWisely

    It is crazy how fast things change with the passage of time, these days. At the time of my birth, there was no such thing as the WWW or Internet as we know them today. Information technology didn’t really exist, and typewriters were still in fashion. One of my lifespans before my birth, the world was getting over the horrors and the immense destruction of WW2 and rebuilding. It was the 50s, a time of communist propaganda and of nuclear fear.

    Two lifespans before my birth was in the roaring 20s, before the great depression. Three lifespans before my birth… everyone was still using a horse and buggy to get around and wild indians still lived in the west, though they were fading out.

    That is crazy… if things changed THAT much over just a few decades… imagine what is in store for us, since change is accelerating, not decelerating.

  19. Aury (Thunderdrake)

    I always considered age to be an incredibly important factor when it comes to wealth building and finances. At the time of writing this, I’m only 21, and I always seem to knock the socks off of people when I tell them how into investing I am. And to think that some people make a claim that over half of retired Americans retire in debt, and that’s a scary thought.

    I’ve got so many years ahead of me.. I’ve got so much to look forward to.. So much to accomplish. I’m still weak now.. But I intend to stay strong.
    .-= Aury (Thunderdrake)´s last blog ..The Hoarding Dragon – The difference between knowledge and experience =-.

  20. When, I graduated from college 9 years ago, I told myself I wanted to become a millionaire by age 30. I’m 32 now and I’m nowhere close. I wish I could go back in time to make better financial decisions, but I can only look forward and make wiser choices starting today. Hopefully, the lessons I’ve learned from past mistakes will help me propel reaching my goal by age…40?

  21. The 90’s do feel like yesterday, I wish I could go jump in a hot tub time machine and relieve it all! ;)

    I hope to accomplish 3 things before I die. Everything else is just noise. We do eventually run out of rope, and the good thing is that our good memories get rosier.

    Rob, good luck at looking at your future life on your death bed. I’d rather look back at the things I actually did.

  22. I love topics that discuss time. Time is always on my mind, how to make the best of it, where has it gone, how to spend it, and so on. Such an important topic to be well versed on. A better grasp on the concept of time and how much it can affect your life can lead to much strong short/medium/long term goals.

    Anyway, I am a drummer, usually just jamming out. I don’t really like to play along with recordings. I’m all about making up my own riffs, watching youtube videos of drummers, etc.

    Finally, you sound good!
    .-= MFO´s last blog ..Yakezie Link Rally =-.

  23. “Any clever ways to make time seem like its slowing down?”

    For me, time slowed down when I stopped living paycheck to paycheck. When you are living paycheck to paycheck you NEED time to speed up, you wish for the days to pass.

    No musical talent here…but my fav. song is Downeaster Alexa if you were interested! AMAZING SONG about times changing for a fisherman on Long Island
    .-= Evan´s last blog ..Is Home Remodeling Really an Investment? Is Remodeling Worth it? =-.

    1. Money Reasons

      Sad, but good song. Oddly, I never heard of it before.
      .-= Money Reasons´s last blog ..BP Oil Spill, Selling On Bad News =-.

  24. I agree with the general feeling of this post, but not entirely with the conclusion. The suggestion is that, when you are on your death bed, if you can look back at lots of exciting stuff, it will be okay. Not for me. It will not be okay!

    I want to be looking forward, not backward. I want to have a Next Life after this one. Now, if there is no next life, I don’t want to lie about it, I want to face the facts. But if there is only looking back, that’s a bummer and there’s no way of smooth-talking it. Looking back at something that is over is just not that much of a thrill in my book.

    So I spend some time every day thinking about whether there’s a Next Life or not and about what I need to do to be able to look forward as well as to look back. I haven’t got it all figured out by a long stretch. But I do spend a little time every day on that project. And as more years pass through the hourglass, my inclination is to spend a little more time on that one.

    Rob
    .-= Rob Bennett´s last blog ..Pop Economics Pulls Back Promised Guest Blog on Big Fail of Buy-and-Hold (But Please Note Correction!) =-.

  25. Excellent song choice, Sam.

    The 90’s seem like just yesterday.

    Yesterday, [when] all my troubles seemed so far away.
    .-= Mike´s last blog ..How to Invest in the Economy: The Best Investments for Each Business Cycle =-.

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