--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Time matters because we are finite…" description: "\"Time matters because we are finite, because time is the medium in which we live our lives.\" — Philip Zimbardo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png" --- # Time matters because we are finite, because time is the… ![“Time matters because we are finite, because time is the medium in which we live our lives.” quote by Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png) > “Time matters because we are finite, because time is the medium in which we live our lives.” [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time’s finiteness gives meaning; it shapes how we live. **In simple terms:** Finite time gives life meaning. Key Takeaway Value time as a precious resource. Themes time perception mortality meaning Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - project deadlines - life planning - relationships - health decisions Key Concepts Temporal psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize what matters most? - What habits help you use time wisely? A Different Perspective Time anxiety can cause stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Finite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finite/) [Finite Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finite-time-3856342/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matters Finite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-finite-4939873/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-matters-1171795/) [Time Medium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-medium-4939872/) ## Related quotes > [We have a finite amount of time. Whether short or long, it doesn't matter. Life is to be lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-have-a-finite-amount-of-time-whether-short-or-long-it-doesn-t/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Our time is brief, and it will pass no matter what we do. So let us have purpose in spending it. Let us spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/our-time-is-brief-and-it-will-pass-no-matter-what-we-do-so-let-us/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [We all have such a finite time to leave the world better than we found it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-kellett/we-all-have-such-a-finite-time-to-leave-the-world-better-than-we/) [Dave Kellett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-kellett/) > [“We are here for a finite amount of time...it's up to each of us to make that time meaningful and special.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-carter/we-are-here-for-a-finite-amount-of-time-it-s-up-to-each-of-us-to-make/) [Phillip Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-carter/) > [The point is, we're all on this rock together for a finite amount of time and how can we make each other's lives better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/the-point-is-we-re-all-on-this-rock-together-for-a-finite-amount-of/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [“It's not the amount of time that matters, Nina. It's what you do with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/it-s-not-the-amount-of-time-that-matters-nina-it-s-what-you-do-with-it/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [When I Realized I Found That I Have Lost My Precious Time To Get Something Which Was Neither Mine Nor Matters To My Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-realized-i-found-that-i-have-lost-my-precious-time-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our determination to imitiate Christ should be such that we have no time for other matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/our-determination-to-imitiate-christ-should-be-such-that-we-have-no/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [“Time matters most when decisions are irreversible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/time-matters-most-when-decisions-are-irreversible/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [If you make the movie from your heart and it stands over time, that's what matters to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/if-you-make-the-movie-from-your-heart-and-it-stands-over-time-that-s/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Time heals nothing. It is what you do with the time that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/time-heals-nothing-it-is-what-you-do-with-the-time-that-matters/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Spending time together is all that matters. It so important. No matter where and when it is, as long as its time together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/spending-time-together-is-all-that-matters-it-so-important-no-matter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It's not the time that matters, it's the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/some-people-live-more-in-20-years-than-others-do-in-80-it-s-not-the/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [“Time matters most when decisions are irreversible. And yet many irreversible decisions must be made on the basis of incomplete information.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/time-matters-most-when-decisions-are-irreversible-and-yet-many/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [Beware of spending too much time on matters of little importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self/beware-of-spending-too-much-time-on-matters-of-little-importance/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self/) ## More by Philip Zimbardo > [One can't live mindfully without being enmeshed in psychological processes that are around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/one-can-t-live-mindfully-without-being-enmeshed-in-psychological/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [When someone is anonymous, it opens the door to all kinds of antisocial behavior, as seen by the Ku Klux Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/when-someone-is-anonymous-it-opens-the-door-to-all-kinds-of/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [It was God who created hell as a place to store evil. He didn't do a good job of keeping it there though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/it-was-god-who-created-hell-as-a-place-to-store-evil-he-didn-t-do-a/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [That human behavior is more influenced by things outside of us than inside. The 'situation' is the external environment. The inner environment is genes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/that-human-behavior-is-more-influenced-by-things-outside-of-us-than/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [The "Lucifer Effect" describes the point in time when an ordinary, normal person first crosses the boundary between good and evil to engage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/the-lucifer-effect-describes-the-point-in-time-when-an-ordinary/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [Time perspective is one of the most powerful influences on all of human behavior. We're trying to show how people become biased to being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/time-perspective-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-influences-on-all-of/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [ The \[Stanford Prison Experiment\] was readily approved by the Human Subjects Research committee because it seemed like college kids playing cops and robbers, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/the-stanford-prison-experiment-was-readily-approved-by-the-human/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [A good cult delivers on its promises. A good cult nourishes the needs of its members, has transparency and integrity, and creates provisions for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/a-good-cult-delivers-on-its-promises-a-good-cult-nourishes-the-needs/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [We can assume that most people, most of the time, are moral creatures. But imagine that this morality is like a gearshift that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/we-can-assume-that-most-people-most-of-the-time-are-moral-creatures/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [I'm saying to be a hero is means you step across the line and are willing to make a sacrifice, so heroes always are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/i-m-saying-to-be-a-hero-is-means-you-step-across-the-line-and-are/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [Most of the evil of the world comes about not out of evil motives, but somebody saying 'get with the program, be a team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/most-of-the-evil-of-the-world-comes-about-not-out-of-evil-motives-but/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [The first time I spoke publicly about the Stanford Prison Experiment, Stanley Milgram told me: "Your study is going to take all the ethical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/the-first-time-i-spoke-publicly-about-the-stanford-prison-experiment/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [Boys' brains are being digitally rewired for change, novelty, excitement and constant arousal. That means they're totally out of sync in traditional classes, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/boys-brains-are-being-digitally-rewired-for-change-novelty-excitement/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [Research shows that the deciscions of a group as a whole are more thoughtful and creative when there is minority dissent than when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/research-shows-that-the-deciscions-of-a-group-as-a-whole-are-more/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [Boys are 30 percent more likely than girls to drop out of school. In Canada, five boys drop out for every three girls. Girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/boys-are-30-percent-more-likely-than-girls-to-drop-out-of-school-in/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) [Explore all 79 Philip Zimbardo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Time matters because we are finite, because time is the medium in which we live our lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Zimbardo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/time-matters-because-we-are-finite-because-time-is-the-medium-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clock" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/time-matters-because-we-are-finite-because-time-is-the-medium-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/philip-zimbardo-8654_clock_time-matters-because-we-are-finite-becau_1405634.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Time matters because we are finite, because time is the medium in which we live our lives.” — Philip Zimbardo", "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": "Philip Zimbardo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Time matters because we are finite,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/time-matters-because-we-are-finite-because-time-is-the-medium-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/time-matters-because-we-are-finite-because-time-is-the-medium-in/#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 } } ] } ```