--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You never want to have that ticking clock…" description: "\"You never want to have that ticking clock and know that you had all this time and didn't use it.\" — J. J. Abrams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/j-j-abrams-3542_clock_you-never-want-to-have-that-ticking-cloc_848597.jpg" --- # You never want to have that ticking clock and know that… ![“You never want to have that ticking clock and know that you had all this time and didn't use it.” quote by J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/j-j-abrams-3542_clock_you-never-want-to-have-that-ticking-cloc_848597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/j-j-abrams-3542_clock_you-never-want-to-have-that-ticking-cloc_848597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c1/j-j-abrams-3542_clock_you-never-want-to-have-that-ticking-cloc_848597.jpg) > “You never want to have that ticking clock and know that you had all this time and didn't use it.” [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects regret over wasted time and the urgency to use it wisely. **In simple terms:** Time wasted feels like a ticking clock. Key Takeaway Use time intentionally. Themes time management regret motivation Mood reflective urgent Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - daily routines - goal setting Key Concepts Opportunity cost mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you prioritize daily actions? - What would you change if you had more time? A Different Perspective May not account for external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I was always aware of the ticking clock of time, always. I was very aware that I had a lot to do, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-was-always-aware-of-the-ticking-clock-of-time-always-i-was-very/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“The ticking of the clock has gotten so loud." - 74”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-romm/the-ticking-of-the-clock-has-gotten-so-loud-74/) [Robin Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-romm/) > [“Just like the beating of the heart of a man...so is the ticking of a clock...and just like the ticking of a clock...so is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unauthor/just-like-the-beating-of-the-heart-of-a-man-so-is-the-ticking-of-a/) [unauthor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unauthor/) > [I feel the ticking clock. And at times, I've said if I don't dance, I'd rather die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/i-feel-the-ticking-clock-and-at-times-i-ve-said-if-i-don-t-dance-i-d/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [“More than the sound of my own beating heart, I miss the sound of a ticking clock. Time passes. It must pass…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/more-than-the-sound-of-my-own-beating-heart-i-miss-the-sound-of-a/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [Time was our very first king. We all live our lives to the aggressive ticking of the clock. We don't question that our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/time-was-our-very-first-king-we-all-live-our-lives-to-the-aggressive/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [You get 15 minutes of fame, I hear, and I've had 14 minutes. The clock's ticking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/you-get-15-minutes-of-fame-i-hear-and-i-ve-had-14-minutes-the-clock-s/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [This is your life and the clock is ticking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/this-is-your-life-and-the-clock-is-ticking/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [You have to cherish things in a different way when you know the clock is ticking, you are under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/you-have-to-cherish-things-in-a-different-way-when-you-know-the-clock/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-suppose-it-s-like-the-ticking-crocodile-isn-t-it-time-is-chasing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What you do need to know is this: Time moves differently when you’re getting over something big. For me, it slows—limping along on creaky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-doughton/what-you-do-need-to-know-is-this-time-moves-differently-when-you-re/) [Autumn Doughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-doughton/) > [“The ticking of the clock Marring the deafening silence, Time's footsteps toward an end Or a beginning. - M. White”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/staci-hart/the-ticking-of-the-clock-marring-the-deafening-silence-time-s/) [Staci Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/staci-hart/) > [“Time goes marching on. Many an empire has come and gone. Yet we remain. Watching the ticking clock and the sifting sands of time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holdsworth/time-goes-marching-on-many-an-empire-has-come-and-gone-yet-we-remain/) [David Holdsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holdsworth/) > [“His existence had always been comfortable, he had always held a clear picture of himself, his duties, and his place in a world. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/his-existence-had-always-been-comfortable-he-had-always-held-a-clear/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“Physical pain was easy. It would always pass in the end. All it needed was time - a ticking clock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-knight/physical-pain-was-easy-it-would-always-pass-in-the-end-all-it-needed/) [Sidney Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-knight/) ## More by J. J. Abrams > [I guess the idea of not wanting to choose to direct a film, for which I've not read a script. It's a tough decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-guess-the-idea-of-not-wanting-to-choose-to-direct-a-film-for-which/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I do think there's something about the digital age that is increasingly dehumanising us. We're in this very weird place where we're being pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-do-think-there-s-something-about-the-digital-age-that-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I hate to look at the stuff I've written and consider what it means or why I do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-hate-to-look-at-the-stuff-i-ve-written-and-consider-what-it-means/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I feel like obviously the standard for what TV looks like changes all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-feel-like-obviously-the-standard-for-what-tv-looks-like-changes-all/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I'd love to do a movie where the monster is human, where the issue is not otherworldly, or horror or science fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-d-love-to-do-a-movie-where-the-monster-is-human-where-the-issue-is/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I feel blessed that I get to be part of entertaining people in any capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-feel-blessed-that-i-get-to-be-part-of-entertaining-people-in-any/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [There are always a bunch of ideas floating around and I do the best that I can to try to not do them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/there-are-always-a-bunch-of-ideas-floating-around-and-i-do-the-best/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I love recording music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-love-recording-music/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I'd like to use IMAX. The problem with IMAX is that it's a very loud camera. It's a very unreliable camera. Only so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-d-like-to-use-imax-the-problem-with-imax-is-that-it-s-a-very-loud/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I have nothing against 3-D in theory. But I've also never run to the movies because something's in 3-D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-have-nothing-against-3-d-in-theory-but-i-ve-also-never-run-to-the/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [But I'm grateful for everyone who would want to read a spoiler because it means that they care and want to see the movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/but-i-m-grateful-for-everyone-who-would-want-to-read-a-spoiler/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [I think that even if you're wondering if two characters are ever going to kiss, drawing out the inevitability is part of the fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-think-that-even-if-you-re-wondering-if-two-characters-are-ever/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [When I was a little kid - and even still - I loved magic tricks. When I saw how movies got made - at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/when-i-was-a-little-kid-and-even-still-i-loved-magic-tricks-when-i/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) is probably the most influential film of my generation. It's the personification of good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope-1977-is-probably-the-most-influential/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [Directing's the best part. Whenever I've directed something, there's this feeling of demand and focus that I like. And secondly, it means that you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/directing-s-the-best-part-whenever-i-ve-directed-something-there-s/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) [Explore all 128 J. J. Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You never want to have that ticking clock and know that you had all this time and didn't use it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. J. 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