"Because in reality your time is finite, doing anything requires sacrifice—the sacrifice of all the other things you could have been doing with that stretch of time. If you never stop to ask yourself if the sacrifice is worth it, your days will automatically begin to fill not just with more things, but with more trivial or tedious things. One can waste years this way, systematically postponing precisely the things one cares about the most."

- Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks

"Every decision to use a portion of time on anything represents the sacrifice of all the other ways in which you could have spent that time, but didn’t—and to willingly make that sacrifice is to take a stand, without reservation, on what matters most to you."

- Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks

"Each of us must cultivate a moral code, a higher standard that we love almost more than life itself. Each of us must sit down and ask: What’s important to me? What would I rather die than betray? How am I going to live today?"

- Marie Forleo, Everything is Figureoutable

"Clarity is freedom. Know what is important to you and it will grant you the freedom to ignore everything else."

- James Clear

“The power of your why is what will power you to overcome any obstacle and achieve the seemingly impossible.”

- Darren Hardy, DarrenDaily

"Your actions are a reflection of your priorities."

- Gretchen Rubin, Better Than Before

"Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls — family, health, friends, integrity — are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered."

- James Patterson, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

"Studies show that bright lines—non-negotiable rules—reduce decision fatigue and strengthen willpower. When the choice is already made, you can focus your energy where it matters most—on taking consistent action."

- Brian Johnson, Areté

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“You can always get more money, but you can never get more time.”

- From Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

“When you plan your week, ask yourself whether your Values are represented on your calendar.”

- From Time Management Essentials by Anna Dearmon Kornick

“If it’s important enough, I’ll make the time. If not, I’ll make an excuse.”

- From Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

“To live a life of virtue, match up your thoughts, words, and deeds.”

- Epictetus

“One of the strange things about human beings is that they value only that which has a price.”

- From Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

“When you pay attention to something you don’t especially value, it’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re paying with your life.”

- From Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

“Does your calendar reflect your values? To be the person you want to be, you have to make time to live your values.”

- Nir Eyal

“Control what you can, cope with what you can’t, and concentrate on what really matters in your life.”

- Craig Ballantyne

“The good thing about principles is that they make life easy. I have heard it said that when someone bases his life on principle, 99 percent of his decisions are already made.”

- From The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

“Compare what you say you want against what you actually do. Do they match? If not, it’s time to change and figure out what really matters. Once you do, line up your priority with the actions you need to achieve it, and then embrace the pain, pay the price, and earn the prize.”

- From The Perfect Day Formula by Craig Ballantyne

“Your core values are your internal compass, your guiding beacon, your personal GPS. They act as the filter through which you run all of life’s demands, requests, and temptations, making sure they are leading you toward your intended destination. Getting your core values defined and properly calibrated is one of the most important steps in redirecting your life toward your grandest vision. If you haven’t already clearly defined your values, you may find yourself making choices that conflict with what you want. Defining your core values also helps make life simpler and more efficient. Decision-making is also easier when you are certain of your core values. When faced with a choice, ask yourself, ‘Does this align with my core values?’ If it does, do it. If not, don’t, and don’t look back. All fretting and indecisions are eliminated.”

- From The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy