Alright, this is the startup geek in me coming out. Allow me to explain.

 

When we talk about “bubbles” these days, we usually mean some kind of investment is over-hyped and over-valued and therefore going to crash (or burst, as the case may be).

 

Many in the startup world are openly declaring the confidence game is over for startups. As if the big girls and boys who invest in those companies can be taken by the pitch “trust us and we’ll make you a lot of money.” The thing is, they’re all in on it together– trying to prop up valuations until they can dish it off on the investors who come later. That’s the game.

 

In most of our own lives we play that kind of game with the ways we spend our time. We convince ourselves that we’re spending it on our most important stuff and that it’ll all pay off later. And big, too. The trouble is, we’re selling out our future selves.

 

Do you believe it when you tell yourself as much? Do you believe you really are spending your valuable time on what’s necessary to move your ambitions forward? If so, how would you prove it?

 

If you find yourself caught in a gymnastical spasm of justification, your tasks aren’t as valuable as you think they are. Don’t waste your time like an investor chasing the latest bubble before it bursts. Be miserly. It’s all the time you’ve got.