4,000 Hours Later: How One Hard Truth Changed My 2025 Goals

Would you ever guess you could spend 4,000 hours—that’s 166 days—on something that didn’t truly serve you? I discovered I had done exactly that with a single video game, and this harsh realization spurred me to make sweeping changes in my life for 2025.A few nights ago, I rewatched The Forge with my twin boys. There’s a powerful moment where a young man is asked by God to give up his biggest distraction—video games—so he could grow spiritually. It got me thinking, “What if I checked how many hours I’ve poured into gaming myself?”

The number was shocking: 4,000 hours, nearly half a year of my life.

Suddenly, all those “quick rounds” added up to a glaring sum of time that could’ve been spent:

✅ Growing my business

✅ Deepening my relationship with my children

✅ Focusing on my health and fitness

✅ Strengthening my faith through daily prayer and scripture study

That’s when I realized: These games weren’t just entertainment; they were obstacles. They represented my tendency to escape instead of engage with life’s challenges. So, I made the decision to delete them all—no more running, no more hiding.

The Turning Point:

✅ Awareness: The first step is recognizing distractions for what they are. In my case, it was gaming. For you, it might be Netflix, social media, or mindless scrolling.

✅ Intentionality: I’m committed to redirecting the time I used to spend in gaming toward real goals: weaponizing my body with consistent fitness, strengthening my finances by finally mastering the “keep money” and “grow money” phases, and putting deeper roots into my spiritual life.

✅ Long-Term Vision: It’s not just about quitting something; it’s about making room for the people and projects that truly matter.

By removing one key obstacle, I can now invest in my life’s purpose—becoming the speaker, coach, and father I’m meant to be.

As we dive into this new year, I challenge you: Identify your 4,000-hour obstacle.

✅ Name it.

✅ Decide how you can reduce or eliminate it.

✅ Replace it with something that moves you toward your goals—physical, financial, spiritual, or personal.

Ready to take action? Share your thoughts in the comments. If you’ve made a similar decision or if you’re on the fence, I’d love to hear about it. Let’s unite to keep each other accountable in 2025!

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