LOSING IN LIFE

 Losing in Life

How to Stop Letting Time Slip Through Your Fingers

By Coach Frank Sagasta 2025 

What do you do to lose in life? 

We’ve all felt it—that nagging sense that life is slipping by while we binge-watch another series, scroll endlessly through social media, or lose hours to video games.  On the surface, these activities seem harmless, maybe even relaxing.  But over time, they can become subtle thieves, stealing our most precious resource: TIME.  The real loss isn’t just in the hours wasted, but in the opportunities missed—the dreams deferred, the skills left unmastered, the relationships never deepened.  If you’ve ever looked up from your phone and wondered where the day went, you’re not alone.  But here’s the good news: recognizing these patterns is the first step toward reclaiming your life.  And you’re not the only one dealing with those symptoms or conditions.  

Losing in life isn’t always about dramatic failures or big mistakes.  More often, it’s about the small, everyday choices that add up.  I call them the DETAILS.  Consider these ten common pitfalls: 

1. Wasting time

2. Procrastination 

3. Impatience

4. Being unprepared 

5. Making excuses 

6. Lacking confidence

7. Inconsistency 

8. Victim mentality

9. Transactional rather than relational

10. Refusing to listen to understand

These habits can quietly shadow us, holding us back from our true potential or our very own greatness.  Wasting time and procrastination keep us stuck in place.  This also goes with practical attention grabbers.  Impatience and being unprepared make us miss out on opportunities.  Excuses and lack of confidence sap our motivation.  Inconsistency and victimhood prevent growth.  Focusing only on transactions rather than relationships leaves us isolated, and refusing to truly listen keeps us from learning and connecting.  Each of these, in their own way, is a form of losing—of letting life happen to us instead of making life happen for us.  I think that is why Mahatma Gandhi was attributed with saying: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world," because this quote encourages individuals to embody the positive changes they desire in society by taking action and leading by example.  It also emphasizes personal responsibility and the idea that positive change starts with oneself.  

But here’s the inspiring truth from my experience.  Every day is a new chance to turn things around.  You don’t have to let these shadowy habits define you.  Start by being honest with yourself— this is called self analyzation.  If losing time, making excuses, or letting fear define you is holding you back?   Then, take small, consistent steps to change.  Replace mindless scrolling with reading, journaling, or learning something new.  Swap excuses for action, impatience for persistence, and isolation for connection.  Celebrate your progress, no matter how small.  Remember, the most successful people aren’t those who never lose—they’re the ones who learn from their losses and keep moving forward.  Life is too short to live in the shadows of wasted time and missed opportunities.  Step into the light, take control, and start winning your life back—one INTENTIONAL choice at a time.

Respectfully,

Coach Frank Sagasta