Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish

Host: The soft hum of the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the quiet presence of the room. Jack sat near the window, the light of the fading afternoon sun casting long shadows across the floor. His hands were folded together, but his mind seemed miles away, lost in thought. Jeeny sat at the table across from him, her eyes focused on the notebook in front of her, but she could feel the stillness in the air, the space between thoughts hanging like a heavy curtain.

Jack: “I came across this quote from Earl Nightingale today. He said, ‘**Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.’ It’s one of those quotes that sounds so simple, but it makes you stop and think. How often do we let the fear of how long something will take stop us from even starting?”

Jeeny: “It’s so true, isn’t it? How many things have we put off because we were afraid of the time it would take? We let that fear hold us back, and then the time passes anyway. It’s almost like we’re wasting time thinking about how long it will take instead of using it to move forward.”

Jack: “Exactly. We’re scared that the process will take too long, or that it’ll be too hard, so we don’t even start. But the truth is, the time is going to pass whether we start or not. So why not use it for something that will move us forward?”

Jeeny: “It’s like the perfect trap, isn’t it? The fear of time makes us do nothing, and by doing nothing, we end up with wasted time. The irony is that doing nothing takes more time than just starting and making progress, no matter how small.”

Jack: “Yeah, it’s crazy how much time can slip away just by thinking about something and not actually doing it. We overthink, we get lost in the fear of how long it might take, and before we know it, weeks, months, years pass without us ever taking that first step.”

Jeeny: “And in the end, it’s all about how we spend that time. The time is going to pass, whether we’re paralyzed by fear or moving forward with purpose. If we let the fear of the effort it’ll take stop us, we’ll never get anywhere. But if we take action, even small steps, we’re investing in something bigger.”

Jack: “So, the key isn’t about rushing to the end, it’s about using the time in front of us in the best way possible. We have all this time, and we can choose how to use it—either by letting it slip away in fear or by using it to create something.”

Jeeny: “Right. We don’t have to do everything at once, but we can start. The first step is usually the hardest, but once we take it, we begin to see that the time doesn’t have to be a barrier. It’s actually one of the most valuable things we have. We might as well put it to work, rather than waste it on worry.”

Jack: “I think I’ve been letting the fear of how long things will take stop me from starting a lot of things. It’s easier to think, ‘It’ll take too long, so why bother?’ But when you put it like that, it sounds so foolish. Time is going to pass anyway.”

Jeeny: “It’s about making the most of that time. Even if it takes years to achieve something, those years will pass. The difference is whether or not we decide to use them for something that truly matters. When we’re faced with the fear of the time it will take, the key is to shift our thinking. Rather than looking at the time as a mountain to climb, we can see it as a gift—something that can help us move closer to what we want to accomplish.”

Jack: “So, it’s not about how long it takes—it’s about how we use the time in front of us. We can either waste it by doing nothing or spend it making progress, no matter how small. When you think about it that way, the choice seems clear.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. Every step, no matter how small, is progress. And those small steps add up over time. Big things don’t happen overnight, but they happen when we take advantage of the time we have. The fear of how long it will take doesn’t matter if we just keep moving.”

Host: The room fell into a quiet pause, the weight of the words settling between them like a gentle breeze. Jack leaned back, his mind turning over the simplicity of the message, while Jeeny sat still, her own thoughts unfolding. The conversation felt like the start of something, a realization that time—though often feared—could be the very thing that brought them closer to their goals.

Jack: “I guess the real question is: what am I going to do with the time I’ve got right now? I don’t want to keep waiting, keep worrying about how long it will take.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. The time is ours to use. And the only way to make the most of it is to start—now. Whatever it is, we can take the first step today, and that’s the best possible use of the time ahead.”

Host: The world outside continued its quiet rhythm, the evening deepening, but within the room, something had shifted. Jack and Jeeny sat in a new understanding, knowing that the time to begin, to act, was always now—and that was the key to making the most of what lay ahead.