How a folding ruler can change your life: a simple exercise for a better view of what matters

How a folding ruler can change your life: a simple exercise for a better view of what matters

Have you ever thought about how much time you really have left? Recently, I remembered a video I watched on YouTube some time ago. The speaker held a folding ruler out towards the audience, unfolded it to 80 centimetres and asked the participants their ages. He then folded away the centimetres representing their ages, showing how much of life had already passed and how much remained.

This simple but striking exercise vividly illustrates how quickly time passes and how little we may have left. For the older among us, this becomes even clearer and more startling. The visualisation helps put everyday problems, whether professional or personal, into perspective and focus on what really matters.

Why this matters:

1. Set priorities: we often get lost in small everyday problems. This exercise reminds you to put truly important things first.
2. Focus on what matters: with your remaining time in view, you can better decide where to direct your energy.
3. Improve quality of life: letting go of unimportant things can improve your quality of life and satisfaction.

I found this exercise so simple and so powerful that I wanted to share it with you.

Try it yourself: it could change your view of life and your attitude towards one or two “little problems”, whether professional or personal!

(👉🏼 One more thing: Activate the 🔔 bell 🔔 on my LinkedIn profile so you will see my posts in future. → DO IT!)