The tragedy of time relativity.

Am I happy? Of course I am; it would be pretty selfish of me to say otherwise.

I have the best foundations to be happy. The kind of support not everyone finds, even after years of endless searching. I'm lucky enough to share my life with my wife and my daughter, my greatest source of happiness. Something as simple as having breakfast with them every morning is enough to keep a half smile on my face for the rest of the day.

Work-wise, after more than 10 years in the job and having seen almost everything, I can't complain either. I do what I always wanted to do. And not only that: I'm good at it. I have a stable job, a good salary and a promising career.

Although I like to think it's partly the result of my own effort, I don't forget how much luck matters. Many people work hard every single day and the opportunities never come. In our naivety, we tend to link success only to effort and, quite often, we assume that failure comes from not having given 100%. But that's not always the case. That pinch of luck, at a key moment (or decision), can make the difference between success and failure. So, on this front, I can't complain either.

On a personal level, I've always been an outgoing person and I've never found it hard to deal with people. After working with associations and fan groups for many years, I clocked up plenty of stage time (giving talks, sitting on panels, moderating…), which has made public speaking come easily to me. As a bonus, it's been an extraordinary reward to connect with people who are so valuable in their fields. Because of all this, I have lots of acquaintances, great colleagues and some really good friends. I even have two brothers, despite being an only child. Without a doubt, another source of happiness I have to be grateful for. Even with a small «curse» that makes many of them move away to work in another city, country or continent. Even so, they're happy, and so am I for them.

So what's the deal? Where does the opening question come from? Although I've never been one for personality cults, I do admit that, when the occasion arises, I like to keep a few brushstrokes. Steve Jobs will never be a role model for me (I'm more of a fan of the other Steve), but I have to admit that some of his quotes and ideas echo in my head like a mantra. From that great 2005 speech at Stanford University, what stays with me most is this quote:

For the last 33 years, I've looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I'm about to do?" And whenever the answer has been "no" for several days in a row, I know I need to change something.

I don't need to look in the mirror to ask myself the question, and I don't need to ask it to know the answer either. I've spent so many, many days stuck in my daily routine that I've lost count of the yeses and the noes.

Too many days rowing through the week down a river of chores and tasks, longing to reach the shore, that precious weekend where we seem to truly be ourselves and get to enjoy life. Too many days without seeing the sun, leaving before dawn and coming back after dark. But the clock tricks us and, on those days off, its hands move at a different speed and the seconds slip through our fingers. Inevitably. Only to start all over again, once more, and go back to rowing from the beginning.

And so, week after week, month after month, we long for the holidays. Which are nothing more than a longer weekend. Those holidays where we can do so many more things and enjoy ourselves so much more, doing whatever we feel like at that moment. Too bad they end too… sending us straight back to the "routine square" without collecting $200.

Over time I've realized that the most precious thing we have is time. I'm sure that for many people this is obvious and they'll be laughing by now, but it took me a while to figure it out.

People also say that money alone can't buy happiness. That's true. But when you're already happy, it lets you buy time, and if you're happy and you own your time, you can probably reach the highest level of happiness. At least that's how I see it.

That's why I often joke with the people close to me and tell them I don't play the lottery to become a millionaire and have a bigger house or a newer car. "That's how poor people think!" they tell me. I play so that, maybe, I can become the owner of my time and spend it however we please, but together. And because almost nobody manages that by working (at least not honestly).

No doubt Captain Obvious will come to say hi after this string of truisms. I just hope he catches me rowing. But mind you… better close to the shore, because the week is starting to weigh on me.