Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy.

Hear the words of John C. Bogle, founder of a new path in the world of finance, who declared: “Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy.” These words may speak first to those who tend their wealth, but their truth reaches far beyond the marketplace. They are the counsel of patience over rashness, of endurance over folly, of long vision over fleeting desire. For in all things, whether of money, of work, or of life itself, it is time that builds, while impulse tears down.

The ancients knew this truth long before markets and exchanges rose upon the earth. The farmer sowed his seeds in spring and did not rush to harvest in summer. He waited, he tended, he trusted the turning of the seasons. Time was his friend, bringing forth abundance. But the impatient man, who dug up the seed to see if it grew, found nothing but ruin. So too in the affairs of men: patience yields fruit, while impulse yields emptiness.

Consider the tale of Warren Buffett, the sage of investing. He built his fortune not by chasing every shiny venture, not by bowing to the frenzy of the crowd, but by waiting, often for years, even decades, for value to reveal itself. He placed his faith in time, and it rewarded him richly. Had he been governed by impulse, selling in fear when markets fell or buying in greed when they surged, he would have lost all. His story proves Bogle’s wisdom: in the long game, time is the ally of the steadfast.

Bogle himself, the architect of the index fund, stood against the roaring tide of speculation. When others promised riches through speed and cleverness, he preached patience, discipline, and trust in the slow accumulation of years. His counsel was mocked by some, yet he stood firm. And those who heeded him found themselves blessed by the gentle but relentless power of time. His wisdom, born of finance, is no less a principle of life: what endures is not built in haste, but in the patient unfolding of days.

But hear this warning: impulse is a subtle foe. It whispers in moments of fear—“Sell now, or you will lose all!” It shouts in moments of greed—“Buy now, or you will miss out!” It does not guide, it drives. It does not build, it consumes. And so, the man who surrenders to impulse finds himself chasing shadows, ever restless, never fulfilled. The man who clings to time finds himself growing in peace, his labors ripening like a vineyard in the sun.

The lesson is clear: choose the company of time, not the tyranny of impulse. When faced with decisions, pause and weigh them. Ask yourself if this is the work of patience or the rush of desire. Trust in the long path, not the quick fix. For the river of time carves mountains, while the storm of impulse uproots trees in a single night.

Practical wisdom lies before you: save steadily, even in small amounts, and let the years multiply your efforts. In life, nurture relationships with patience, rather than rushing them with demand. In learning, return daily to your craft, trusting that growth will come in season. Resist the lure of sudden schemes, whether of money or of the heart, for they are built on sand. Anchor yourself instead in discipline, for discipline is the ally of time.

Therefore, let Bogle’s words be etched in your heart: “Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy.” Carry them beyond the world of markets, into every corner of your life. For those who walk with time walk with wisdom, and those who master their impulse master themselves. And in this mastery lies not only wealth, but peace, strength, and the quiet triumph of a life well-lived.