In the last one and a half years, I’ve launched three businesses, walked away from a corporate job that drained the life out of me (I didn’t walk actually. I fucking SKIPPED), transitioned to a plant-based diet, trained for, and completed several marathons and ultra marathons, started a family (more on that later!), written articles for magazines and websites, as well as regularly blogging here and holding down a 40+ hour a week role with a pretty rad company.
I’m sure I’ve missed a lot of things out from the list above, but what I know is this:
I wouldn’t have achieved any of these things if I hadn’t given up my television.
Yup. You read correctly.
People think not owning a television is really strange. I get weird looks. I’m often asked, “Well, what do you do without a TV?”
And my reply is: EVERYTHING.
According to statistics, we watch four hours of television a day. FOUR FUCKING HOURS that could be spent:
Reading a book that captivates you, or an article about finding your rat people, or your Grandpa’s wartime love letters to your Grandma.
Training for a marathon, or a 5K, or driving to a gym, taking a class, having a shower and driving home. Or doing one single pushup.
Learning something new (like how to change your eating habits, or how to speak a new language, or how to start a side-business).
Talking: To the man who lives in a tent, or a 2 year old (they speak the truth), or the lady who lives next door (she’s probably really nice even though she seems to scowl a lot), or your boss (maybe about that salary increase you know you deserve).
Creating: Babies (KLAXON ALERT: My partner, Kristin, is pregnant, we’re going to be parents! Wah!), projects, cup-cakes, a book, awesome plushie pillows).
Meditating (Buddhify is good) or if meditating ain’t your bag, your version of ‘meditating’. This could be having a massage or having sex or sitting in the bath sipping red wine until your toes go wrinkly.
Building: A small business, a relationship (with others and yourself), a website, a sandcastle, a small army of remarkable people).
It’s quite simple, really. In 4 hours, you can do a lot. This includes quitting telling people that “You don’t have the time”.
Now, this is not some public announcement forcing you to give up your television.
But just think about it, when you hear yourself complaining that you don’t have the time, it’s just an excuse and you know it! You DO have the time, you’re just choosing to do something else with it.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day.