--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every hour I spent doing that while at…" description: "\"“Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. At the time, I was conflicted about whether I could really affo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg" --- # Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t… ![“Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. At the time, I was conflicted about whether I could really afford to take that time away from my studies, but I stuck with it. Had I instead spent that hour each day learning the latest techniques for mastering…” quote by Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg) > ““Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. At the time, I was conflicted about whether I could really afford to take that time away from my studies, but I stuck with it. Had I instead spent that hour each day learning the latest techniques for mastering the problems of autocorrelation in regression analysis, I would have badly misspent my life. I apply the tools of econometrics a few times a year, but I apply my knowledge of the purpose of my life every day. This is the most valuable, useful piece of knowledge that I have ever gained.”” [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that personal purpose outweighs technical skill in long‑term fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Purpose matters more than technical tricks. Key Takeaway Prioritize purpose daily. Themes purpose career fulfillment learning Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - daily routines - life planning - skill acquisition Key Concepts existential meaning value of time self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What purpose guides your daily actions? - How do you balance skill development with personal meaning? A Different Perspective Technical expertise alone cannot guarantee a meaningful life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Economics also has to become a fundamentally monetary discipline—from the consideration of how individuals make market decisions through to our understanding of macroeconomics. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-keen/economics-also-has-to-become-a-fundamentally-monetary-discipline-from/) [Steve Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-keen/) > [I work on the boundary between economics and statistics in this field called econometrics. Part of my interest is understanding how you use statistics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-peter-hansen/i-work-on-the-boundary-between-economics-and-statistics-in-this-field/) [Lars Peter Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-peter-hansen/) > [Economic development is something much wider and deeper than economics, let alone econometrics. Its roots lie outside the economic sphere, in education, organisation, discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/economic-development-is-something-much-wider-and-deeper-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[The 1975 Chase Econometrics\] showed that for every one dollar spent on Apollo, 14 came back into the U.S. economy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/the-1975-chase-econometrics-showed-that-for-every-one-dollar-spent-on/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [“This book is an essay in what is derogatorily called "literary economics," as opposed to mathematical economics, econometrics, or (embracing them both) the "new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-p-kindleberger/this-book-is-an-essay-in-what-is-derogatorily-called-literary/) [Charles P. Kindleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-p-kindleberger/) > [Econometrics may be defined as the quantitative analysis of actual economic phenomena based on the concurrent development of theory and observation, related by appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/econometrics-may-be-defined-as-the-quantitative-analysis-of-actual/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [To reduce the interpretation of the causality of all kinds of climate changes and of global warming to one variable, CO2, or to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/to-reduce-the-interpretation-of-the-causality-of-all-kinds-of-climate/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [“In the words of Andy Grove: “To understand a company’s strategy, look at what they actually do rather than what they say they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-the-words-of-andy-grove-to-understand-a-company-s-strategy-look-at/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/) [Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/) > [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James ## More by Clayton M. Christensen > [“Identifying disruptive footholds means connecting with specific jobs that people—your future customers—are trying to get done in their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/identifying-disruptive-footholds-means-connecting-with-specific-jobs/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“In the words of Andy Grove: “To understand a company’s strategy, look at what they actually do rather than what they say they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-the-words-of-andy-grove-to-understand-a-company-s-strategy-look-at/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [The concept of disruption is about competitive response; it is not a theory of growth. It's adjacent to growth. But it's not about growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/the-concept-of-disruption-is-about-competitive-response-it-is-not-a/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“disruptive technology should be framed as a marketing challenge, not a technological one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/disruptive-technology-should-be-framed-as-a-marketing-challenge-not-a/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [The only way all people can have the opportunity to choose or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us, without judgment, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/the-only-way-all-people-can-have-the-opportunity-to-choose-or-reject/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [The dumb-manager theory of business problems just didn't hold water for me. There had to be a deeper reason why smart people would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/the-dumb-manager-theory-of-business-problems-just-didn-t-hold-water/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [By doing what they must do to keep their margins strong and their stock price healthy, every company paves the way for its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/by-doing-what-they-must-do-to-keep-their-margins-strong-and-their/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [Every city and town in America would be bankrupt if they kept their books the way private-sector companies keep their books - because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-city-and-town-in-america-would-be-bankrupt-if-they-kept-their/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“the breakthrough researcher first discovers the fundamental causal mechanism behind the phenomena of success. This allows those who are looking for “an answer” to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/the-breakthrough-researcher-first-discovers-the-fundamental-causal/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“In contrast, investing time and energy in your relationship with your spouse and children typically doesn’t offer that same immediate sense of achievement. Kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-contrast-investing-time-and-energy-in-your-relationship-with-your/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [In our personal lives, we have a lot of businesses going on. I have a profession, I'm a father, a spouse, a good member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-our-personal-lives-we-have-a-lot-of-businesses-going-on-i-have-a/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [For 300 years, higher education was not disruptable because there was no technological core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/for-300-years-higher-education-was-not-disruptable-because-there-was/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“When commercializing disruptive technologies, they found or developed new markets that valued the attributes of the disruptive products, rather than search for a technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/when-commercializing-disruptive-technologies-they-found-or-developed/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“This is why theory can be so valuable: it can explain what will happen, even before you experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/this-is-why-theory-can-be-so-valuable-it-can-explain-what-will-happen/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“In order to really find happiness, you need to continue looking for opportunities that you believe are meaningful, in which you will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-order-to-really-find-happiness-you-need-to-continue-looking-for/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) [Explore all 96 Clayton M. Christensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) ## More Econometrics quotes > [To reduce the interpretation of the causality of all kinds of climate changes and of global warming to one variable, CO2, or to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/to-reduce-the-interpretation-of-the-causality-of-all-kinds-of-climate/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [Econometrics may be defined as the quantitative analysis of actual economic phenomena based on the concurrent development of theory and observation, related by appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/econometrics-may-be-defined-as-the-quantitative-analysis-of-actual/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [“This book is an essay in what is derogatorily called "literary economics," as opposed to mathematical economics, econometrics, or (embracing them both) the "new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-p-kindleberger/this-book-is-an-essay-in-what-is-derogatorily-called-literary/) [Charles P. Kindleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-p-kindleberger/) > [ \[The 1975 Chase Econometrics\] showed that for every one dollar spent on Apollo, 14 came back into the U.S. economy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/the-1975-chase-econometrics-showed-that-for-every-one-dollar-spent-on/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [Economic development is something much wider and deeper than economics, let alone econometrics. Its roots lie outside the economic sphere, in education, organisation, discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/economic-development-is-something-much-wider-and-deeper-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I work on the boundary between economics and statistics in this field called econometrics. Part of my interest is understanding how you use statistics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-peter-hansen/i-work-on-the-boundary-between-economics-and-statistics-in-this-field/) [Lars Peter Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-peter-hansen/) > [“Economics also has to become a fundamentally monetary discipline—from the consideration of how individuals make market decisions through to our understanding of macroeconomics. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-keen/economics-also-has-to-become-a-fundamentally-monetary-discipline-from/) [Steve Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-keen/) Browse all 8 Econometrics quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. At the time, I was conflicted about whether I could really afford to take that time away from my studies, but I stuck with it. Had I instead spent that hour each day learning the latest techniques for mastering the problems of autocorrelation in regression analysis, I would have badly misspent my life. I apply the tools of econometrics a few times a year, but I apply my knowledge of the purpose of my life every day. This is the most valuable, useful piece of knowledge that I have ever gained.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clayton M. Christensen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-oxford-i-wasn-t-studying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Econometrics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-oxford-i-wasn-t-studying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/clayton-m-christensen-6841_education_every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-o_640999.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every hour I spent doing that while at Oxford, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. At the time, I was…” — Clayton M. Christensen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clayton M. Christensen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Every hour I spent doing that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-oxford-i-wasn-t-studying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/every-hour-i-spent-doing-that-while-at-oxford-i-wasn-t-studying/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```