I’ve been thinking about the balance of time versus money. I started consulting to create flexibility in my life, but I’ve also been grateful to do well financially also. That being said, I’ve given up even more lucrative opportunities for that flexibility. To me, and for me, it was worth it.

I was talking with someone about it recently and they reminded me of the third pillar – equally as important but easily forgotten. Energy.

Time vs Money vs Energy.

When do we ever have all 3?

I started typing this out, but my nerdy self realized it was easier to visualize with a chart.

	Working (Young)	Working (Older)	Not Working (Young, Not by Choice)	Not Working (Young, By Choice)	Not Working (Older, Not By Choice)	Not Working (Older, By Choice)
Time			X	X	X	X
Money	X	X		X		X
Energy	X		X	X

So what does this mean?

Make money while you’re young and retire early. It’s the only time that you can have it all.

Don’t kill yourself to get there – you still need some balance so you’re not out of energy by the time you retire.

This aligns well with the “FIRE movement…a lifestyle movement with the goal of gaining financial independence and retiring early.”

Every person needs to decide for themselves what’s important. I want a comfortable life, one free from worry about money, but I don’t need (or crave) to be a billionaire. I want flexibility and balance – I like to work, but not all the time. I also like to travel and enjoy my days. The thing I need the most at present is energy. I’m young, so I should have it, but work and a new puppy have me running on fumes.

Sometimes, energy is self-created. We take a walk, even when we don’t want to. We make plans with a friend, even if we’d rather read a book or nap. We plan a trip, even if logistically it feels near impossible. And we find a way to work less…or even better, work smarter…to give us the time to do these things.

It’s a lesson in progress for me, but I’ll keep learning and I know I’m doing it with a plan and goal in mind. How about you – how do you prioritize the three?