Clock time versus psychological time.

We often find ourselves chasing something for a better future or dwelling over the past.


We learn from our mistakes from the past to create a better future.


Many would agree with this statement, but how many people truly understand it?


People perceive the past and the future as time. However, most people would perceive the past and the future as psychological time.


An investor made money through punting during the world economic boom of 1993. He lost all his money when the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis hit him. At this very day, many new investment opportunities have come up. The investor has already done thorough research which show positive results. Due to his past experience in the crisis, he decides not to invest in fear of losing his money in the future. This is a perfect example of psychological time.


Relating to that, we have clock time. What is clock time? If the investor fully relies on the research (whilst taking the logical lesson from his past, not the psychological one), he will put his investments through. Such would be an example of living in clock time. 


How do I differentiate logical and psychological? Logically, punting is a fast way of making money but it is also a fast way of losing money. Therefore, punting can defy the sole purpose of living - survival. The fact is that without money, survival will be hard. Psychologically, the fear of losing money is empowering. You can definitely use this fear as an excuse, but there is one small element that people do not realize by adhering to psychological time.


What happened to the most precious moment in life? What is this precious moment I'm talking about?


At the end of the day, the past will stay remain unchanged and the future is always unpredictable.


The key answer to life is living in the present. 


Clock time wins.


"There is no salvation in time. You cannot be free in the future. Presence is the key to freedom, so you can only be free now" - Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now-