Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of.

Return on investment (ROI) is a term you hear frequently, usually in relation to business and finance. The goal (obviously) is to maximize return on the money you invest. The implications of this concept go much deeper when you start to think of time as your primary investment rather than money. Everything you do is an investment of time. When you watch television, you’re making an investment in entertainment. If you watch a show that sucks, you’ve made a bad investment and receive a poor return for your time.

In many ways time is more valuable than money. You’ll always have the opportunity to make more money, but once time has been spent it’s gone forever. When you think of time as a commodity, and all of your actions as investments, it changes the way you approach every day decisions.

We spend time in many different ways: working, eating, sleep, exercise, entertainment, etc. All of these things are important. When we start investing too heavily in one area and not enough in another we create problems for ourselves. The key is investing our time in a manner that perfectly balances each of these areas and forms a productive and pleasurable life.

Deciding how to invest our time is a formidable task. Unlike business, there are no percentages or spreadsheets to reference. We have to rely on experience and intuition. I’m far from a master at this, but these are a few principals I use to guide my decision making.

1. Look for Multiple Positives
A multiple positive is an activity that generates a positive return in more than one area. These are great for ROI because they multiply returns and incur fewer losses. One of my best multiple positives is working on this website. It’s something that I find extremely entertaining, it contributes to a small (but steadily growing) stream of income, and it develops skills that I’ll be able to use the rest of my life like writing, web design, and networking.

Every individual will have different multiple positives, the important part is finding ones that work for you. A multiple positive for a software developer might be working on open source or a personal project. It can even be as simple as playing basketball, a fun game that’s also great exercise. The key to finding multiple positives is finding areas where different positive actions intersect. If I can find a way to get paid to eat delicious food I’ll be golden.

2. Avoid Multiple Negatives
Multiple negatives are the same as multiple positives, except the complete opposite. These are activities that detract from multiple areas of life. One of my favorite weaknesses is going out drinking. This hurts me in three ways: the time spent isn’t productive, drinks are expensive, and the effect of staying up late and being hungover usually ruins the following day. If I don’t have a good time, this is basically the worst possible scenario.

I’m not saying you should never go out and have a good time. To be happy we need socialization and excitement. My point is that we should always try to minimize the negative impact of our actions. I try to do this by minimizing the amount I drink and only going out when I know it will be enjoyable. Often we get caught in a pattern of poor investment. Over time, the benefits fade away and what remains is mostly negative, but we keep doing it out of habit. This can be avoided by periodically analyzing our behavior. Is it still a good investment, or is it time to make a change?

3. Utilize the Power of Compounding
I’m sure that everyone reading this understands the power of compound interest. When you invest money you earn interest. Then you start earning interest on the money you earned from interest. Over many years this continues to compound and eventually leads to a very large sum of money. The same concept applies to time. If you invest time by working hard when you’re young, you put yourself in a position to succeed that will continue compounding for the rest of your life. If you waste time when you’re young, you can’t make up for it later because you’ve lost the opportunity to utilize the power compounding.

Many people my age fail realize this, in fact I didn’t, or at least I didn’t act on it, until fairly recently. The primary reason is that we’re trapped in the childish mindset. As a child, your only responsibility is entertaining yourself. You needn’t worry about investing your time because Mommy and Daddy are there to take care of you and they’re usually happy as long as you stay out of trouble. These days many young adults ride the childish mindset straight through college. After graduation we’re expected to adopt the adult mindset (and the responsibility of investing our time) instantaneously. A lot of people don’t get it, and every year they waste trying to extend the college days is an opportunity that can never be replaced.

Many people think their time isn’t valuable when they aren’t working, so they throw it away on activities that have a poor return on investment and don’t build for the future. The truth is, no one else is going to consider your time valuable until you do. If you want to acquire the wealth that will provide the freedom to live your ideal lifestyle, start thinking of every decision as an investment. Nothing is insignificant.

One mental model that can help you make better decisions is imagining that your life is a corporation and you’re the only employee. If you were the CEO of John Doe Incorporated, and were obliged to maximize profit on behalf of investors, what would you make yourself do? You’ll find that this sort of analysis simplifies many decisions and increases return on investment.

不要浪費時間，因為這是生命的組成。

你經常聽到投資回報率（ ROI ）這個詞，通常與商業和金融有關。目標（顯然）是對你投資的錢獲得最大限度的回報。當你開始考慮把時間而不是金錢作為一種投資時
，這個概念更深刻。

看電視，你是在為娛樂投資，如果沉迷於電視劇
，你的投資就不明智

，對你付出的時間的回報的收獲就少。

henduoshihou，shijiantouzibijinqiantouzigengyoujiazhi。zhengqianzongshiyoujihuide
，danshishijianyiqubufufan。bashijiankanzuoshangpin，nisuoyoudexingdongdoushitouzi，tahuigaibiannimeitiandejueding。

我們花費時間的方式多種多樣：gongzuo，chifan，shuijiao，duanlian，yuledengdeng，zhexieshiqingdouhenzhongyao。dangwomenzaiyigelingyutouruguoduoshi，biededifangjiuhuibuzu，womenjiuhuigeizijizhaomafan。womentouzishijiandeguanjianjiushiyiyizhongpinghengdefangshi，zaimeiyilingyu
，xingchengyizhongnengchanshenghuibaode
，kuailedeshenghuo。

決(jue)定(ding)如(ru)何(he)投(tou)資(zi)時(shi)間(jian)是(shi)一(yi)個(ge)艱(jian)難(nan)的(de)任(ren)務(wu)。不(bu)像(xiang)做(zuo)生(sheng)意(yi)
，有(you)百(bai)分(fen)率(lv)或(huo)電(dian)子(zi)表(biao)格(ge)參(can)考(kao)。我(wo)們(men)隻(zhi)能(neng)依(yi)靠(kao)經(jing)驗(yan)和(he)直(zhi)覺(jiao)。這(zhe)方(fang)麵(mian)我(wo)也(ye)不(bu)是(shi)個(ge)專(zhuan)家(jia)，但(dan)是(shi)我(wo)有(you)幾(ji)點(dian)用(yong)來(lai)指(zhi)導(dao)我(wo)的(de)決(jue)定(ding)的(de)原(yuan)則(ze)。

1.尋找多重肯定

duozhongkendingshiyizhongjijidehuodong
，nengzaiduogelingyuchanshengjijidehuibao。yinweiduobeihuibao，sunshihenxiao，zhezhonghuibaolvjiuhenda。wozuidadeduozhonghuibaozhiyijiushizaiwangzhangongzuo。woyegandaofeichangyukuai，jinguanshourubuduo（但還是逐漸增加的）
，開發了技能，我今後的生活還能用上比如寫作，網頁設計以及網絡工作。

每(mei)個(ge)人(ren)都(dou)會(hui)有(you)不(bu)同(tong)的(de)多(duo)重(zhong)肯(ken)定(ding)


，重(zhong)要(yao)的(de)是(shi)找(zhao)到(dao)一(yi)個(ge)能(neng)為(wei)你(ni)服(fu)務(wu)的(de)。軟(ruan)件(jian)開(kai)發(fa)商(shang)的(de)多(duo)重(zhong)回(hui)報(bao)可(ke)能(neng)是(shi)在(zai)一(yi)個(ge)公(gong)開(kai)資(zi)源(yuan)的(de)工(gong)作(zuo)或(huo)個(ge)人(ren)事(shi)業(ye)。這(zhe)就(jiu)如(ru)同(tong)打(da)籃(lan)球(qiu)一(yi)樣(yang)簡(jian)單(dan)，有(you)趣(qu)的(de)遊(you)戲(xi)也(ye)是(shi)一(yi)種(zhong)很(hen)好(hao)的(de)鍛(duan)煉(lian)。找(zhao)到(dao)多(duo)重(zhong)肯(ken)定(ding)的(de)關(guan)鍵(jian)是(shi)找(zhao)到(dao)一(yi)個(ge)不(bu)同(tong)肯(ken)定(ding)活(huo)動(dong)的(de)興(xing)趣(qu)領(ling)域(yu)。

如果我找到一種能享受美食又能有收入的方法
，我就是很快樂。

2.避免多重否定

chulejieguoshixiangfande
，duozhongfoudingrutongduozhongkendingyiyang。zhexiehuodonghuijiangdishenghuodegegelingyu。wozuidaderuodianzhiyijiushixihuanchuquhejiu。zheduiwoyousanzhonghuaichu：付出的時間沒有回報
，酒錢很貴，很晚才睡

，酩酊大醉通常會影響第二天。如果我沒有盡興

，這就是最糟糕的情形。

wobushishuonibuyinggaiwaichutongyin，jinqingwanle。yaoxingfu，womenxuyaoshehuihuadehuodongheciji。wodeguandianshiwomenyinggaijiangzhezhongxingdongdefumianyingxiangzuixiaohua。woshizhetongguohuazuishaodeqianyinjiu
，zhishizaiwojiaodegaoxingdeshihoucaichuqu。tongchangwomenxianruzheyangyizhongmoshi
，meiyouhaochu，zuihuaidefouding，danshiwomengaibule。jingchangfenxiyixiawomendexingweijiunenggoubimian。rengranshigehaodetouzihaishigaizuogegaibiandeshihoule？

3.運用綜合力量

我wo相xiang信xin每mei個ge人ren讀du到dao這zhe裏li都dou會hui明ming白bai綜zong合he投tou資zi。投tou資zi金jin錢qian能neng獲huo利li。然ran後hou在zai從cong獲huo利li中zhong掙zheng錢qian。多duo年nian以yi後hou最zui終zhong就jiu會hui有you一yi大da筆bi錢qian。應ying用yong於yu時shi間jian投tou資zi也ye是shi如ru此ci。如ru果guo年nian輕qing時shi努nu力li工gong作zuo，你ni就jiu會hui把ba自zi己ji放fang在zai一yi個ge成cheng功gong的de位wei置zhi上shang，就jiu會hui給gei你ni的de餘yu生sheng帶dai來lai綜zong合he的de回hui報bao。如ru果guo年nian輕qing時shi浪lang費fei時shi間jian，後hou來lai就jiu要yao去qu彌mi補bu，因yin為wei你ni失shi去qu了le運yun用yong綜zong合he力li量liang的de機ji會hui。

很多人到了我這個年紀 還hai沒mei有you意yi識shi到dao，實shi際ji上shang我wo也ye如ru此ci，或huo者zhe至zhi少shao還hai沒mei有you采cai取qu行xing動dong
，直zhi到dao最zui近jin。主zhu要yao的de原yuan因yin是shi我wo們men還hai有you幼you稚zhi的de的de思si維wei模mo式shi。小xiao時shi候hou，你ni唯wei一yi的de責ze任ren就jiu是shi好hao好hao玩wan
，不bu必bi擔dan心xin投tou資zi時shi間jian，因yin為wei有you父fu母mu照zhao顧gu你ni，隻zhi要yao你ni平ping安an無wu事shi他ta們men就jiu會hui高gao興xing。如ru今jin，這zhe些xie剛gang剛gang步bu入ru成cheng年nian人ren行xing列lie的de年nian輕qing人ren將jiang這zhe種zhong有you幼you稚zhi的de思si維wei模mo式shi直zhi接jie帶dai進jin了le大da學xue。畢bi業ye後hou

，我wo們men立li即ji接jie受shou成cheng年nian人ren的de思si維wei模mo式shi，（要為我們的時間投資負責）。許多人不得要領，每天還徒勞的試圖延伸大學的生活，這是無法代替的。

很hen多duo人ren認ren為wei，工gong作zuo的de時shi間jian並bing不bu寶bao貴gui，因yin此ci他ta們men隨sui意yi浪lang費fei
，回hui報bao很hen少shao，不bu能neng建jian設she美mei好hao的de未wei來lai。事shi實shi上shang，隻zhi有you當dang你ni需xu要yao時shi是shi才cai知zhi道dao時shi間jian的de價jia值zhi。如ru果guo你ni想xiang獲huo得de財cai富fu，過guo你ni想xiang要yao的de理li想xiang的de生sheng活huo方fang式shi，現xian在zai就jiu開kai始shi做zuo出chu每mei個ge決jue定ding時shi都dou看kan作zuo一yi種zhong投tou資zi。

任何事都很重要。

一種好的思維模式有助於你更好的做決定。想一想，你的生活就是一個公司
，你是唯一的雇員。如果你是某個公公司的CEO,站在投資者的立場上

，不得不最大化公司的盈利，你該如何做？你會覺得這種分析簡單化了很多決定，提高了投資回報