Why People Make Time for What They Truly Want (And How You Can Too)

There are days like this: I turn down catch-ups with friends just to spend a weekend afternoon alone in my small kitchen, enjoying the pleasant smell of coffee. Then there are days when I choose to learn something new, instead of going to a trending event popular with young people.

A simple yet strange truth: people make time for what they truly want. No matter how busy we are, we still find time to watch a good movie, hang out with friends, or just lie on the couch and watch the sun slowly move across the wall. Not because we have time, but because we choose to create it.

This article will explore why we always make time for truly important things and how you can change your habits to match what you really want out of life.

Why People Make Time for What They Truly Want

We naturally choose what we value

Based on our own set of values, we can all naturally decide what is most important to us. The things we do with our time show what we really value, not what we say we value.

James Clear says, "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become". The way we spend our time shows more about our authentic priorities than anything we could say.

Think about it: you may say that family is important, but if you always put work ahead of family gatherings, that shows what your real values are. Whether they are aware of it or not, people make time for what they truly want.

We enjoy what we care about

When we really care about something, making time for it doesn't feel like a chore. The things we love create their own energy and momentum.

Have you ever noticed that it's easy to spend hours on something you enjoy but fifteen minutes of something you dread feels like torture? We naturally put things first when we want to do them because they make us happy or give us a sense of purpose. That's the power of intrinsic drive.

We seek what makes us happy

When we really care about something, making time for it doesn't feel like a chore. The things we love create their own energy and momentum.

Have you ever noticed that it's easy to spend hours on something you enjoy, but fifteen minutes of something you dread feels like torture? We naturally put things first when we want to do them because they make us happy or give us a sense of purpose. That's the power of intrinsic drive.

We choose where our time goes

It's our choice, whether we're aware of it or not, how we spend our time. Realizing this autonomy gives us power because it means we can redirect our time toward what truly matters to us.

When you regularly don't make time for something you say you want, it might be worth examining whether you really want it or just think you should want it. People make time for what they truly want - not for what others expect them to want.

How to Align Habits with What You Truly Want

Cut out what doesn't matter

Finding out where your time is going is the first thing you need to do to reclaim it. Many of us waste hours every day on activities that don't align with our stated priorities.

Keep track of your time for a week to identify patterns. You might be shocked at how much time you waste on social media, boring TV watching, and other useless activities.

Once you know what's taking up your time, choose which ones to cut back on or get rid of. Remember that this isn't about making a perfect plan - it's about making sure that your time is spent on things that are significant to you. After all, people make time for what they truly want when they remove the distractions that don't serve them

Create daily habits that support goals

Large goals are achieved through small, consistent habits. It's important to take daily actions toward goals like writing a book, reading more, and taking better care of your health.

For instance, if you want to improve your health, going for a daily 15-minute walk is better than going to the gym once in a while for three hours. Over time, small actions that are done regularly add up to amazing results.

The key is to make habits so ingrained in your life that you don't have to think about them often. It's easy to make time for these things once they're part of your life. This is how people make time for what they truly want - by transforming desires into habits.

Plan and schedule time

What gets scheduled gets done. If something is crucial to you, give it the respect of a place in your calendar.

Take self-appointments just as seriously as you would talks with important clients. Whatever your goals are - family dinner, creative work, or personal growth - make sure you have set times for them.

When making plans, be honest about how much time you have. If you only have 24 hours in a day, don't try to pack 30 hours of activities. Instead, put your most important tasks at the top of your list. People make time for what they truly want by intentionally blocking it into their schedules.

Track and evaluate progress

Keep track of your progress to stay motivated and get useful information about how your time use aligns with your goals.

This is where habit-tracking apps like Habitify can be incredibly useful. Keeping track of your habits tells you how consistent you are and helps you find patterns or problems that might be stopping you from reaching your goals.

The simple, clean design of Habitify makes it easy to track your daily habits without getting too stressed. The visual progress charts can also give the motivation boost you need when willpower is low.

Change your plan when needed

Life happens, and plans change. Being able to change your thinking and method when needed is key to long-term success.

If you forget a day or something doesn't go as planned, don't let that throw your whole method off. Instead, use it to help you improve how you do things. Activities might need to be planned for a different time or broken up into smaller steps. Keep in mind that being consistent over time is more important than being perfect every day.

Final Thoughts

If you're still complaining that you don't have time to run or for self-care, then I'm not sure that's what you truly want. Before blaming your workload, ask yourself if you've really cared enough about your own health.

Watch your days. See what stays. The late hours of the night are spent going through social media. The things that need to be done quickly, but have taken hours. These tell you the truth.

Something waits, perhaps. Something you've put off for too long.

People make time for what they truly want. The question is still easy to answer.

What do you really want?

Your answer lives in what you do tomorrow. And nothing else.