According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, time is “what is measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.”
Wikipedia describes it as “the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future.”
The Oxford English Dictionary goes further to define time as “a finite extent or stretch of continued existence… the interval separating two successive events or actions.”
From all three definitions, one truth stands out clearly: time never stops. It does not pause for hesitation, fear, comfort, or confusion. Whether you act or not, whether you move or remain stagnant, time keeps moving.
This reality echoes a statement often shared by my spiritual father, Dr Prophet Emmanuel Kwaku Race of Hallel Family Chapel. Paraphrased, he says:
“If you are 30 and contemplating studying for a degree but feel you’ll be too old at 34 after completion, do it. Whether you study or not, you’ll still be 34 in four years. Time and tide wait for no one.”
That statement alone exposes one of humanity’s biggest struggles: delay.
Why Do We Wait?
Why do people postpone their dreams, ideas, healing, growth, or purpose? Is it a lack of resources? Fear of failure? Fear of judgment? Or do we simply underestimate the power and value of time?
Many people assume that time works against them, but in reality, time is neutral. It does not destroy or build on its own—what we do within time determines the outcome. Time rewards consistency, patience, preparation, and persistence, but it also exposes laziness, excuses, and procrastination.
Time Changes Everything
History consistently proves that a lot can change in a short period. Ten years may feel long when looking forward, but when looking back, it often feels like a moment.
In 2016, former President John Dramani Mahama was voted out of office. A decade later, in 2026, he is back as President of Ghana. That single example shows how time, combined with strategy, consistency, resilience, and relevance, can rewrite narratives. Time did not automatically restore him—what happened within that time did.
The same applies to individuals. Careers are built over time. Skills are mastered over time. Influence grows over time. Healing happens over time. Even failure, when met with reflection and consistency, can evolve into success given enough time.
Time and Consistency: A Powerful Combination
Talent may open doors, but consistency keeps them open. Time plus consistent effort has a way of placing people where they once only imagined themselves to be. The people we admire today, be it leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, professionals, are often beneficiaries of years of unseen work.
What looks like “overnight success” is usually the result of years of showing up, learning, failing, adjusting, and continuing.
The Cost of Wasted Time
Perhaps the most painful realisation is not failure, but wasted time. You can recover money, rebuild connections, and regain opportunities but lost time never returns. That is why regret is often tied to things we didn’t do rather than things we tried and failed at.
Every day presents an opportunity to start, restart, or continue. Waiting for the “perfect time” is one of the greatest illusions, because perfection is rarely found in timing, it is found in decision.
Start Now
Time will move whether you move or not. The future will arrive whether you prepare for it or not. The question is:
When time passes, what will it find you doing?
Start now. Learn now. Try now. Fail now if you must, but do something. Because in five minutes, ten seconds, or even twenty years to come, time will ask only one question:
What did you do with me?
So when next you feel like waiting or even giving up, just look at the clock and act like it-MOVE!
