When you think of time, do you perceive it as a line or a circle? Most of us grew up with constructs that teach us about the circular nature of time:

  • The year begins in January and ends in December before the months repeat. It’s common to see the seasons in a circular diagram on a classroom wall, reinforcing that the year progresses in a similar fashion
  • The week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. Weeks passing can feel like a never-ending cycle of Fridays and Mondays—an endless repetition of weekends and weekdays that spin over and over again
  • The day begins and ends at midnight in a twenty-four-hour loop. Wall clocks are circular, and the hour hands track the day, while minute hands move in their own circles to track the hours, and second hands do the same to track the minutes

These constructs are important tools. They’re crucial in helping us schedule our time and use it effectively. However, they can create mental barriers, too.

As humans, we like to align big changes with a new beginning. That’s why New Year’s resolutions are so popular. We view January 1st as a chance to start something big. But why do we wait until then? If we identify something we want to do—like live a healthier lifestyle or write a book—we shouldn’t wait. We should start now.

Because time is a line, not a circle.

You see, time is precious; once a moment goes by, you never get it back. We may organize our time in circles, but those circles exist on a line, and they’re drawn with a pen that only moves forward. The truth is that waiting only delays your opportunity to do something positive. Let that thought be your mental springboard, not an artificial construct that it will be easier to wait until the New Year. Because if it was actually easier, the second Friday of January wouldn’t be known as National Quitter’s Day.

An old proverb states that “the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.” So let’s live our life as a line, not a circle. Don’t wait for the New Year or even the new week to make a change—identify what you need to do to live your best life and start it today. Your future self will thank you for it.