Money you lose you can always make back. But even five minutes

The words of James Altucher, “Money you lose you can always make back. But even five minutes of time lost is gone forever,” strike like a bell that resounds across the corridors of eternity. They remind us of the frailty of our mortal days and the supreme value of time, that silent river which flows without pause. Wealth, property, even kingdoms may be won and lost and won again. But time, once it slips from our hands, is gone beyond recall, vanishing into the vast silence from which no power of man can summon it back.

Altucher, an investor and writer of modern days, speaks with the ancient wisdom that echoes from philosophers long before him. He had seen wealth gained and squandered, fortunes built and broken. Yet in the crucible of his experiences he discerned this truth: money is abundant, but time is scarce. Money can be multiplied, but the minutes of our lives are counted by fate, and each one, once spent, is gone forever. His words align with the teachings of Seneca, who wrote that men guard their riches with iron locks, yet squander their days with careless neglect, not realizing that time is the only possession which, once gone, no power can restore.

Consider the tale of Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. In his last days, lying ill, he reflected upon the meaning of life. He confessed that all the riches he had accumulated could not buy him a single day more upon the earth. “Nonstop pursuing wealth only turns a person into a twisted being,” he lamented, acknowledging that health, love, and time were treasures far greater. His story embodies Altucher’s truth: one may lose money and regain it, but when time is lost—whether through neglect, distraction, or waste—it is an irreplaceable jewel cast into the abyss.

The meaning of the quote reaches deeper still: it is not merely about guarding minutes, but about awakening to life’s true measure. Many live as though they have an endless treasury of hours, postponing dreams, neglecting loved ones, delaying purpose. They trade precious years for coins, not realizing that coins can be remade but years cannot. Altucher’s words are a trumpet that calls us to attention: measure your days not in dollars, but in moments well-lived.

Yet there is also a heroic note here, a call to action. To honor time is to live deliberately, to awaken each morning with the awareness that today is not a rehearsal but the stage itself. Great leaders, inventors, and saints understood this. They guarded their hours as a warrior guards his sword, knowing that each moment offered could shape destiny. Benjamin Franklin, who spoke, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of,” would have nodded at Altucher’s insight, for both men knew the same eternal truth: time is the very essence of life itself.

The lesson is thus: value time above money. Do not delay what matters most—whether it is speaking words of love, building what your heart longs to create, or walking the path of wisdom. If money is lost, let it go; you may yet gather it again. But if time is lost, you lose a part of your soul’s story that cannot be rewritten. To treat time lightly is to betray your own life.

Practical action lies within reach. Begin by honoring your hours: rise with purpose, cut away the distractions that devour your days, and give yourself wholly to what matters most. Treasure your moments with family, with friends, with your craft, with your spirit. Do not squander hours in pursuits that leave you empty, but invest them as a gardener sows seed, with intention and care. In this way, your life will not slip through your fingers unnoticed, but will shine with meaning.

Thus, in the voice of the ancients, we declare: Blessed are those who guard their time, for they guard the essence of their lives. Blessed are those who spend their hours on love and purpose, for their days will be rich even if their coffers are poor. And let us remember always the wisdom of Altucher: money may return, but time, once gone, is gone forever. Use it well, for it is the most precious gift the heavens have bestowed.