--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem as he saw it was not how…" description: "\"“The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are, but rather how badly most of us use what time we have.”\" — Nigel Warburton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg" --- # The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are… ![“The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are, but rather how badly most of us use what time we have.” quote by Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg) > ““The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are, but rather how badly most of us use what time we have.”” [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time is abundant, but most people misuse it, focusing on quantity of life rather than quality of use. **In simple terms:** We waste time despite having enough of it. Key Takeaway Use time wisely and purposefully. Themes time productivity meaning life Philosophy existentialism Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - career planning - daily routines - long‑term projects - health habits Key Concepts personal development goal setting mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What habits waste your time? - How can you allocate time to meaningful activities? A Different Perspective People may feel constrained by responsibilities, making purposeful use hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Badly Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badly-use-4942735/) [Lives Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-badly-4942734/) [Short Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-lives-364859/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Use Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-time-246936/) ## Related quotes > [“Well perhaps you humans do have short lives but you do so much with them. Always jumping around, always so hasty and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/well-perhaps-you-humans-do-have-short-lives-but-you-do-so-much-with/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [But life is short: while one lives, everything is lacking; when one is dead, everything is superfluous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lope-de-vega/but-life-is-short-while-one-lives-everything-is-lacking-when-one-is/) [Lope de Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lope-de-vega/) > [“It's not about keeping up the population, it's about passing on who we are and what we've learned, so things keep going. So we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/it-s-not-about-keeping-up-the-population-it-s-about-passing-on-who-we/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [Democracies have been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and in general been as short in their lives as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/democracies-have-been-found-incompatible-with-personal-security-or/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Only those of us live for centuries that decided not to live in their short lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/only-those-of-us-live-for-centuries-that-decided-not-to-live-in-their/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Photos are profound because they have such short lives. They are more like fingerprints, dead leaves, rain puddles, or the corpses of flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/photos-are-profound-because-they-have-such-short-lives-they-are-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“(the past sucks and the future can be outright paralyzing, but we must push through those times and find what little happy moments there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-sucks-and-the-future-can-be-outright-paralyzing-but-we-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/use-the-time-of-a-total-stranger-in-such-a-way-that-he-or-she-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“What are the top-three activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I’ve been productive? These are usually used to postpone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-are-the-top-three-activities-that-i-use-to-fill-time-to-feel-as/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Small improvements in the way you use your time can translate into major differences in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/small-improvements-in-the-way-you-use-your-time-can-translate-into/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I realise how important it is to use the time I have. I respect people who want to do that by watching television. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-realise-how-important-it-is-to-use-the-time-i-have-i-respect-people/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Change the way you use your time, and you change your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/change-the-way-you-use-your-time-and-you-change-your-life/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [Our current use of time is not rational. There is therefore no point in seeking marginal improvements in how we spend our time. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-koch/our-current-use-of-time-is-not-rational-there-is-therefore-no-point/) [Richard Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-koch/) > [The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-ability-to-concentrate-and-to-use-time-well-is-everything/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [By all means use some time to be alone, salute thyself, see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-some-time-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## More by Nigel Warburton > [“A human being can choose what to do, what to become. We are all free. No one but you can decide what you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/a-human-being-can-choose-what-to-do-what-to-become-we-are-all-free-no/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“Users of slippery slope arguments should take skiing lessons—you really can choose to stop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/users-of-slippery-slope-arguments-should-take-skiing-lessons-you/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“If Abraham had gone ahead and killed his son he would have done something morally wrong. A father has a basic duty to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/if-abraham-had-gone-ahead-and-killed-his-son-he-would-have-done/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“The best way to live, then, was this: have a very simple lifestyle, be kind to those around you, and surround yourself with friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-best-way-to-live-then-was-this-have-a-very-simple-lifestyle-be/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“Machiavelli stresses that it's better as a leader to be feared than to be loved. Ideally you would be both loved and feared, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/machiavelli-stresses-that-it-s-better-as-a-leader-to-be-feared-than/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“Farm animals aren't the only ones that suffer at the hands of human beings. Scientists use animals for their research. It's not just rats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/farm-animals-aren-t-the-only-ones-that-suffer-at-the-hands-of-human/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“One way of approaching the question about what makes a human being the same person over time would be to point out that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/one-way-of-approaching-the-question-about-what-makes-a-human-being/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“Sartre explained what he meant by the anguish of choice through the true story of a student who had come to ask his advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/sartre-explained-what-he-meant-by-the-anguish-of-choice-through-the/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“Philosophy is not a spectator sport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/philosophy-is-not-a-spectator-sport/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“In this short philosophical novel he completely undermined the kind of optimism about humanity and the universe that Pope and Leibniz had expressed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/in-this-short-philosophical-novel-he-completely-undermined-the-kind/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“The best way to eliminate all suffering in the world would be to eliminate all sentient life. If there were no living things capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-best-way-to-eliminate-all-suffering-in-the-world-would-be-to/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) > [“But the basis of Freud's ideas aren't accepted by all philosophers, though many accept that he was right about the possibility of unconscious thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/but-the-basis-of-freud-s-ideas-aren-t-accepted-by-all-philosophers/) [Nigel Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) [Explore all 13 Nigel Warburton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/) ## More Time quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) [Browse all 215,255 Time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are, but rather how badly most of us use what time we have.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nigel Warburton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-short-our-lives-are-but-rather/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-short-our-lives-are-but-rather/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/nigel-warburton-32473_time_the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-sho_3029698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem as he saw it was not how short our lives are, but rather how badly most of us use what time we…” — Nigel Warburton", "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": "Nigel Warburton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-warburton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The problem as he saw it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-short-our-lives-are-but-rather/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-warburton/the-problem-as-he-saw-it-was-not-how-short-our-lives-are-but-rather/#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 } } ] } ```