---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can make up for lost money, but we…"
description: "\"We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for lost time.\" — Simon Sinek"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png"
---

#  We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for…

![“We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for lost time.” quote by Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png)

> “We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for lost time.”

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Time lost cannot be recovered, unlike money which can be earned again.

**In simple terms:** You can’t get back time, but you can earn money again.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize time over money.

Themes

time management value priorities

Mood

reflective urgent motivational

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- business decisions
- personal planning
- project deadlines
- life choices

Key Concepts

opportunity cost scarcity regret

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you allocate time versus money?
- What activities deserve your time most?

A Different Perspective

Money can be regained, but time loss may be irreversible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Coin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coin/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Lost money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-money/) [Lost time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-time/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-lost-1489004/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-make/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [No we can't make up for lost time. That's your loss not mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-we-can-t-make-up-for-lost-time-that-s-your-loss-not-mine/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [After the war I was going to make up for lost time. But the time I spent away, it's still lost. No matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-herrick/after-the-war-i-was-going-to-make-up-for-lost-time-but-the-time-i/)

[Steven Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-herrick/)

> [The older I get, the more I realize that I can always make more money, but I can't make more time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-phil/the-older-i-get-the-more-i-realize-that-i-can-always-make-more-money/)

[Uncle Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-phil/)

> [We can sell our time, but we can't buy it back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-can-sell-our-time-but-we-can-t-buy-it-back/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“We are all of us lost. The best we can do is make whatever we're lost in as much like home as we can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/we-are-all-of-us-lost-the-best-we-can-do-is-make-whatever-we-re-lost/)

[Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/)

> [You can't make up for something you lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-dumais/you-can-t-make-up-for-something-you-lost/)

[Troy Dumais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-dumais/)

> [What you had could never make up for what you'd lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-you-had-could-never-make-up-for-what-you-d-lost/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [The best Thing we can do is to make wherever we're lost in Look as much like home as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-to-make-wherever-we-re-lost-in-look-as/)

[Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/)

> [“When you make weirdness into a puzzle to be solved, you make LOST”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fink/when-you-make-weirdness-into-a-puzzle-to-be-solved-you-make-lost/)

[Joseph Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fink/)

> [No one in this world, so far as I know--and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me--has ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/no-one-in-this-world-so-far-as-i-know-and-i-have-searched-the-records/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [The only way of making money is for effort. The only time I've ever lost money is when I've purposely said, "I'm doing this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-stokes/the-only-way-of-making-money-is-for-effort-the-only-time-i-ve-ever/)

[Kerry Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-stokes/)

> [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [To spend more money, you have to have more money, but time is fixed and we all have the same amount to spare. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/to-spend-more-money-you-have-to-have-more-money-but-time-is-fixed-and/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [For me, the present is a golden era. That's the greatest golden era. Right now. I just like pining for lost times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/for-me-the-present-is-a-golden-era-that-s-the-greatest-golden-era/)

[Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/)

> [Lost is the time that you don't spend for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torquato-tasso/lost-is-the-time-that-you-don-t-spend-for-love/)

[Torquato Tasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torquato-tasso/)

## More by Simon Sinek

> [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“When you are with Marines gathering to eat, you will notice that the most junior are served first and the most senior are served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-you-are-with-marines-gathering-to-eat-you-will-notice-that-the/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [A parent does not do everything for their kid. A parent that does everything for their kid produces a kid with no self-confidence. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/a-parent-does-not-do-everything-for-their-kid-a-parent-that-does/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Don't wait for perfection before you start. Start somewhere so you can have something tangible you can work to perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/don-t-wait-for-perfection-before-you-start-start-somewhere-so-you-can/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Followers want to be taken care of. Leaders want to take care of others. We can all be leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/followers-want-to-be-taken-care-of-leaders-want-to-take-care-of/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“Goethe, the great nineteenth-century thinker, reportedly summed up, “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/goethe-the-great-nineteenth-century-thinker-reportedly-summed-up-you/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Pursue the thing inside us and others will help us. Pursue the things outside us and others will compete with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/pursue-the-thing-inside-us-and-others-will-help-us-pursue-the-things/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“When a WHY goes fuzzy, it becomes much more difficult to maintain the growth, loyalty and inspiration that helped drive the original success. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-a-why-goes-fuzzy-it-becomes-much-more-difficult-to-maintain-the/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“Without the protection of our leaders, everyone outside the inner circle is forced to work alone or in small tribes to protect and advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/without-the-protection-of-our-leaders-everyone-outside-the-inner/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Any great and inspiring leader or organization that ever existed set out to do something completely unrealistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/any-great-and-inspiring-leader-or-organization-that-ever-existed-set/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [I try to find, celebrate and teach leaders how to build platforms that will inspire others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/i-try-to-find-celebrate-and-teach-leaders-how-to-build-platforms-that/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Instead of showing up to let everyone know how great we are, show up to find out how great everyone else is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/instead-of-showing-up-to-let-everyone-know-how-great-we-are-show-up/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Knowledge is understanding based on what has been studied and learned. Wisdom is understanding based on what has been felt and experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/knowledge-is-understanding-based-on-what-has-been-studied-and-learned/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [There's only one of me. With you using the why in the center of your work helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/there-s-only-one-of-me-with-you-using-the-why-in-the-center-of-your/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [“they didn't examine the problem and accumulate data to figure out the best solution - they engineered the outcome they wanted from the beginning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/they-didn-t-examine-the-problem-and-accumulate-data-to-figure-out-the/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

[Explore all 654 Simon Sinek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

## More Coin quotes

> [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/)

[George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/)

> ['Memorial Day' is about 'spring break' girls-gone-wild culture which is the seedy underbelly of our American Puritanism, the inverse side of the coin. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/memorial-day-is-about-spring-break-girls-gone-wild-culture-which-is/)

[Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/)

> [“Money is created from time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/money-is-created-from-time/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [Time is money says the proverb, but turn it around and you get a precious truth. Money is time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/time-is-money-says-the-proverb-but-turn-it-around-and-you-get-a/)

[George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/)

> [“Spare a copper for our cause?" the girl with the coin cup asks, her voice weary. "I can spare more than that," I say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/spare-a-copper-for-our-cause-the-girl-with-the-coin-cup-asks-her/)

[Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/)

> [I don't have any contempt for the men who have to have jobs and have to commute and have to pay the mortgage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-wilson/i-don-t-have-any-contempt-for-the-men-who-have-to-have-jobs-and-have/)

[Sloan Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-wilson/)

> [“The only way to make me stand in line for half an hour to buy a spool of thread, or to make me spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-only-way-to-make-me-stand-in-line-for-half-an-hour-to-buy-a-spool/)

[Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/)

> [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/)

[Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/)

> [Imagine owning a one million pound coin. Where would you put it? The pressure. I never even take my wedding rings off after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/imagine-owning-a-one-million-pound-coin-where-would-you-put-it-the/)

[Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/)

> [“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/time-is-the-most-valuable-coin-in-your-life-you-and-you-alone-will/)

[Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/)

> [Melancholy and utopia are heads and tails of the same coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-grass/melancholy-and-utopia-are-heads-and-tails-of-the-same-coin/)

[Gunter Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-grass/)

> [Soon it's all going to be digital anyway. It's all going to be saved on a little coin somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-donner/soon-it-s-all-going-to-be-digital-anyway-it-s-all-going-to-be-saved/)

[Richard Donner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-donner/)

> [“Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you want, but you can only spend it once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-coin-you-can-spend-it-anyway-you-want-but-you-can-only/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There are two sides to every coin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/there-are-two-sides-to-every-coin/)

[Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/)

> [Don't you think it's strange that life, described as so rich and full, a camel-trail of adventure, should shrink to this coin-sized world? A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/don-t-you-think-it-s-strange-that-life-described-as-so-rich-and-full/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

[Browse all 329 Coin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coin/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for lost time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Simon Sinek"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can-t-make-up-for-lost-time/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Coin"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can-t-make-up-for-lost-time/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/simon-sinek-349_coin_we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can_1038860.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We can make up for lost money, but we can't make up for lost time.” — Simon Sinek",
                "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": "Simon Sinek",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We can make up for lost...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can-t-make-up-for-lost-time/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-can-make-up-for-lost-money-but-we-can-t-make-up-for-lost-time/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
