Masters of Time

Time as Obsession

I've always been obsessed with mastering time.

When I was 24 years old, fresh out of film-school, I landed my first high-paying dev gig in Gibraltar, the tiny British colony.

Every day, I'd race through sunny Andalusian highways, speeding past those slow, aimless cars, onto the derelict parking lot at the frontier. Rush. Unfold my tiny bike. Storm through the border's mass of contrabandists, dealers, and wrongdoers. Rush. Cross the airport runway. Navigate the ensuing roads. Rush. Reach the office, breathless.

Obsessed with mastering time.

I kept finding ways to optimize my route, cutting corners and acrobatically cycling around stalled cars. Twice, I fell off the bike, hurt myself, and ruined my clothes.

My solution? Pack extra shirts.

This was my daily routine until one day I tried an experiment. I got into Vipassana meditation through Sam Harris, my hero-turned-villain. He proposed a simple challenge that I still use: do what you do every day, but be extremely conscious about it.

And so I did. I enjoyed the view and smelled the flowers, as they say. My memories of those dangerous and hasty rides are a maze, but I vividly remember that first mindful trip.

The sea view on the highway, reminiscent of neon-filled Outrun-style Miami car races. The distinct smell of gasoline dripping from worn-out cars waiting their turn in the race to the city. The wind on my face as I crossed the runway. And most of all, a strange feeling of pride and accomplishment when I arrived at work.

Here's the kicker: I timed my trip from home to work, as I had done several times before. It added exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds to my normal routine.

Looking back, this quest for productivity by the young Gorka had turned comical. There I was, speeding through streets like a video game character, just to shave a few minutes off my commute. Funny how priorities can get so skewed.

This taught me a valuable lesson in life and business, one that I still struggle to keep in mind day-to-day. Today, I'll do my best to run through my thoughts on the matter.

Slavery or Mastery: Your Relationship with Time

Time

The obsession of mystics, Mystery Schools, philosophers and scientists.

In this Ahrimanic, materialistic society, time is a fixed reality, conquered only by technology.

But mystics find this incomplete. It ignores how human consciousness shapes reality.

The concept of time as we know it—yesterday, today, and tomorrow—has radically transformed conscious life for society. We live in past, present and future. We try and fail to conquer time and space, forgetting that these are products of our own minds.

Think about it:

• In Flow, we lose sense all of time. Hours feel like minutes. We are masters of Time.

• In dreams, we experience days or weeks in mere minutes of waking life.

• In deep meditation, time dissolves. Awareness shifts beyond linear thinking, into the unconscious.

What if we could transcend the limitations imposed by our perception of time?

Experience hints at a profound truth: our relationship with time is not fixed, but rather a product of our state of consciousness.

Bronze Age Pervert talks about mastery of space, but what about mastery of time?

My coach Mario Lanzarotti says: slow down to go faster. Pause to make sure you're on the right path. Get ready to sprint in the right direction, not run in circles.

In chess, grandmasters know the hardest move can be a knight backwards, to reroute to a better square or outpost.

The same principles apply in various aspects of life:

• In learning, take time to build a strong foundation and master basics for rapid progress later.

• In problem-solving, slow down. Gather information, consider different angles, and weigh your options. This will lead to better choices and less mistakes. Look at the big picture.

• In relationships, slow down to listen. Reflect and choose words mindfully to find meaning in interaction.

By understanding that time is relative and experiential, we can unlock a new level of reality.

Why are we here?

We're here create works that stand the test of time.

We're here to build businesses that outlast us.

We're here to forge relationships that span generations.

We're here to leave a legacy that echoes through the ages.

We're here to do great things. We're here to do TIMELESS things.

Mastering time isn't about relentless productivity. It's about slowing down on purpose, listening to your gut, and moving with life's natural flow.

The Great Paradox of Time-Mastery (an interlude)

To master time, you must first master speed. Identify tasks that take you months, but others mere hours. Delegate. Seek help. Embrace AI.

Here’s a thread with an example on how to do something by identifying where to go fast:

Point is, do it. We're here to do EVERYTHING we need to do. Liberating time and headspace is non-negotiable.

But beware: in the rush to master time, we often lose it on the wrong things. We speed through what matters most, only to spend countless hours fixing our hasty mistakes.

I learned this lesson the hard way with Maility, my SaaS startup. In love with speed, I raced to build features, to get it up to par with the competition in a matter of weeks, skipping crucial steps like using Typescript. We grew very fast, yes, hitting 20K MRR in 3 months. But the rush came back to haunt me.

Months later, I was drowning in 14-hour days, fixing bugs, trying to keep the ship afloat. Scalability issues, technical debt, and founder arguments eventually sank the product.

I failed to make it TIMELESS.

I had sped through the important stuff - the foundation. And it cost me dearly in time, energy, and ultimately, the business itself.

I still fight the urge to rush. It feels like reprogramming my default state.

As an online entrepreneur, I'm always overwhelmed, pressed for time. Jumping from task to task, trying to keep up with endless demands. Burnout and dissatisfaction follow, no matter how successful or struggling I might seem on the outside.

Mastering time isn't about relentless productivity. It's about slowing down strategically, so you can speed up on what truly matters. It's about liberating time and headspace for the things that will make your work timeless.

Mastery of Time: not just some buzzword.

This isn't meant to be some catchy slogan. This is meant to reveal a portal to a deeper understanding of the world around you.

The path to mastery isn't a straight line. It will force you to confront your demons head-on. However, these challenges hold the key to transformation. Every moment of uncertainty is an opportunity to forge you into the person you were meant to be.

Now that we're done, where to begin?

In the next parts, I'll give you a framework and questions to jolt you out of your comfort zone and set you on the path to mastery. These tools will help you redefine success, face your limiting beliefs and habits, and create a life that matters.

Let's dive in:

The Timeless Mastery Framework: 8 Steps to define success and create a meaningful life

In a world that worships hustle and grind, it's easy to believe success means relentless productivity. But at what cost? Burnout, dissatisfaction, and a nagging sense that we've lost ourselves.

The Timeless Mastery Framework is meant as a wake-up call. It invites you to question the norm and find your own path to true success and fulfillment.

1. Confront the Productivity Trap: The obsession with productivity is a modern epidemic, robbing us of our humanity. The result is burnout and unfulfillment. It's time to take a hard look at how this mindset has infiltrated our lives, leading to exhaustion, strained relationships, and emptiness. This isn't about demonizing hard work, but understanding that true success can't be measured by output alone. The beliefs we hold about success, efficiency, and the value of our time are deeply ingrained. To break free, we must question everything. This is a process of pure unlearning, that starts with becoming self-aware.

2. Cultivate Presence: In a world that's always on, always connected, the art of presence has become a rare and precious commodity. But it's in the present moment that we find clarity, creativity, and a deep sense of connection to ourselves and others. There's many options to learn to deal with the monkey mind and tune into something deeper. My personal favourites:

   • Learn to box or practice BJJ

   • Meditate (read Catching the Big Fish by Lynch or download Waking Up by Sam Harris)

   • Consume content, but take notes. Build a second brain. Check out Obsidian and marvel at what you can do.

3. Stop postponing yourself: Chasing success at all costs often means sacrificing your health. What's the point of success if cannot enjoy it? Health comes first. Stop postponing yourself. Show up fully.

4. Redefine Success: Success isn't the same for everyone. Your values, passions, and dreams are what make you, you. Step outside the norm, resist the pressure to conform. It takes character and courage to make your own path, especially if it's different from what everyone else is doing.

5. Align Your Work with Your Values: When you work on projects that align with your core, you tap into a deep source of motivation and fulfillment. This authentic approach to your work creates a positive cycle. You feel more satisfied and engaged, which in turn enhances the quality of your work and its impact on others. When you align your work with your true self, you find personal fulfillment and can positively impact those around you.

6. Seek Purpose, not Productivity: True fulfillment comes from impact, not accomplishment. You're part of something bigger than yourself. Foster connection and contribution. HELP OTHERS.

7. Develop Unshakable Faith: Mastery is not a destination. It's about growth, discovery, and transformation. Resilience in the face of setbacks. You need to embrace the journey and you need the fire in the belly that is the will to start again. Stumble, fall. Begin again.

This framework isn't a quick fix. Start small, be patient and trust the process. The path to mastery is paved with intention, courage, and resilience.

You may just find that mysterious something igniting your soul.

Bonus: 27 Timeless Questions to shook you out of the rat-race.

Journaling is THE tool for self-reflection and getting into a specific headspace. For an immersive experience, try going for a walk and dictating your answers into ChatGPT or a voice recording app.

Warning: this exercise is designed to burn. It's akin to the anti-plan, where you define what you DON'T want to be, as opposed to what you do want to be. It's not meant to be easy or painless – growth rarely is. Sit or walk with the discomfort and answer at your own peril.

1. What is the first thing you do when waking up? Is it good for you?

2. What is the last thing you do before sleep? Is it good for you?

3. Open your phone and look at the time spent in social media (ask google how to do that if you don't know). Of that time, what percentage would you say will have a positive impact in the future? How does that make you feel?

4. Can you remember the last time you said a hard "NO" to someone, when you didn't feel like doing something?

5. If you died tomorrow, what would be your biggest regret?

6. If you died tomorrow, how would your closest loved ones (spouse, partner, best friend) describe you to others? Would they talk about your passion, your dedication to your goals, and the impact you made? Or would they struggle to find meaningful things to say?

7. When was the last time somebody told you sincerely they were proud of you? Did it make you proud of yourself?

8. List 3 ways the rat-race has impacted your life for the negative. If more come to mind, list them all.

9. Do you have a definition of success? Write it down or come up with one and then see how strong it is.

10. What activities have you tried that help you cultivate presence? What did you find? Do you commit daily or weekly time to any of them?

11. Could you list your top 3 core values off the top of your head?

12. List 3 ways you are contributing to something bigger than yourself.

13. How often do you numb yourself with alcohol, drugs, or other distractions? If you do, do you know what you are afraid of confronting?

14. Write down the last time you truly pushed yourself out of your comfort zone

15. Take a hard look at the people you spend the most time with. Are they lifting you up, pushing you to be your best self, and celebrating your victories?

16. List the last three excuses you remember making to get yourself out of a tough spot. Were they true?

17. Write a couple sentences on where will you be in 10 years. Does it make you excited? If not, why?

18. If money and time was no issue, what would be the top 3 things you would spend your day doing? Describe a day doing those.

19. How different does that day look compared to what you did today?

20. If you could trade places with anyone for one day, who would it be? Why them?

21. When was the last time a song moved you?

22. When was the last time you cried while laughing?

23. List 3 things you never wanted to do but did anyway

24. List 3 things you always wanted to do but never did

25. What's the biggest sacrifice you made for someone you loved?

26. What's the biggest sacrifice you made for your career?

27. What did you learn from this exercise?