The Ultimate Cheat Code for Success: Buy Back Your Time
I’m probably wrong about this, but I’ve come to realize something that’s transformed my life, my business, and how I view the world around me. Time and time again, it seems like everything in life is a tradeoff.
Let me explain.
Life’s Tradeoffs:
Every day, we’re presented with choices that force us to prioritize certain things over others. Whether we recognize it or not, these tradeoffs shape our personal and professional lives:
  1. I can either do Muay Thai every Saturday and miss my son’s soccer games, or I can watch my son play soccer and skip training.
  2. I can choose to get a job that requires commuting daily, leaving me with less time to work out, or I can work remotely and have more freedom to prioritize my fitness.
  3. I can spend an hour cleaning my car myself, or I can pay my friend Jimmy, who comes to my house and takes care of it for me.
These examples might seem trivial, but they illustrate a larger point: to get something we want, we often have to give up something else.
And at first, that might seem unfair. Why should we have to give up things that matter to us to achieve success? But here's the reality check...
The Cheat Code for Life: Buy Back Your Time
It may sound counterintuitive, but every tradeoff we make is an opportunity. In fact, this understanding feels less like a burden and more like a cheat code for life.
Here's why: once we realize that we can “buy” back what’s important to us, we unlock the real secret to success. And the one thing I will NEVER regret buying back is my time.
Forget “time management.” Time management is about squeezing more into your day. Buying back your time is about taking control over how your minutes are spent, so you can focus on the most important, high-impact activities in your life and business.
Every. Single. Minute.
I’m on a mission to buy back every single minute of my day.
Think about it: Time is the only resource we can never get back once it’s gone. You can make more money, find new clients, or build new opportunities, but once a minute passes, it’s gone forever.
The real trick is to focus on how to stop doing tasks that drain your time and energy so that you can invest those minutes into the things that truly matter. And in our fast-paced digital world, this is more critical than ever.
Start by Buying Back Your Time
One of the best books on this topic is Dan Martell’s “Buy Back Your Time”. In it, he breaks down the science of reclaiming your day, but the core message is simple: if you want to achieve big things, you’ve got to start buying back your time.
In our world as real estate professionals, mortgage experts, and entrepreneurs, this principle is essential. I’m constantly juggling clients, deals, and projects, but the one thing I’m learning to master is how to buy back the minutes that make the biggest difference in my life.
The #1 Thing You Should Be Doing Right Now: Hire an EA Before You Need One
Whether you're a Rainmaker—an entrepreneur, founder, salesperson, or high achiever—one of the smartest investments you can make is to hire an Executive Assistant (EA) before you think you need one.
You don’t need to wait until you’re making six figures to do this. In fact, the sooner you hire help, the faster you’ll realize the value of being a true Rainmaker. An EA will handle tasks that consume your time but don’t contribute to your bottom line.
From scheduling appointments, organizing your calendar, managing follow-up emails, and handling low-priority tasks, an EA can take those distractions off your plate. That way, you can focus on what truly moves the needle—building relationships, closing deals, and scaling your business.
The Three Rules of the Rainmaker:
If you truly want to be a Rainmaker—the person who drives growth, innovation, and success in your business—follow these three rules:
  1. Do Fewer Things to Achieve Greater Things Success isn’t about doing it all; it’s about focusing on the few things that make the biggest impact. Identify your top priorities, and give them your full attention.
  2. Stop Trying to Manage Time—Buy It Back Instead Time is finite. Instead of managing it, look for ways to buy back your time by outsourcing tasks, leveraging automation, and building systems that free you up to focus on what truly matters.
  3. Hire an Executive Assistant (EA) Before You Need One Your first hire doesn’t need to be a top-tier, high-cost EA. But bringing someone on board to handle day-to-day tasks will show you just how much more productive and efficient you can be when you’re not bogged down by the small stuff.
Action Steps to Start Buying Back Your Time:
Step 1: Identify time-draining tasks in your day-to-day life. Write them down. Are you spending too much time on admin work, scheduling, or social media? List them out.
Step 2: Find ways to delegate or automate those tasks. Whether it’s hiring an assistant, using a CRM system, or leveraging AI for social media posts, look for opportunities to reclaim your minutes.
Step 3: Set up a regular reflection process. Every month, review your schedule and see where you’re still wasting time. Continuously refine and optimize your process.
Final Thoughts:
Success isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things. And the right things often mean reclaiming your time so you can focus on what really drives your business forward.
If you're ready to buy back your time, stop juggling the small stuff, and focus on closing more deals, take action today.
Let’s get after it,
Alex Caragiannides
1
0 comments
Alex Caragiannides
3
The Ultimate Cheat Code for Success: Buy Back Your Time