What is it?” – The Clock of Life.

There’s a question I love to ask when speaking to high performers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and those who’ve climbed the mountain of achievement: "What is it?" What is it that really matters? What are we truly working toward?

In one particular room, surrounded by individuals who had sold businesses for hundreds of millions, I held up a simple clock. Not a digital one. A classic, round-faced, ticking clock. I told them: "This isn’t just a way to tell the time. It’s a metaphor for your life."

Let me break it down. The face of a clock has 60 minutes. I asked the room to consider that their life was made up of 60 metaphorical minutes, spanning from birth to death. Then I divided those 60 minutes into three distinct 20-minute blocks:

• 0 - 25 years = First 20 minutes

• 26 - 50 years = Second 20 minutes

• 51+ years = Final 20 minutes

And here’s where it gets interesting. Each of these zones aligns with a specific domain of our human experience: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.

0 - 25 Years: The Physical Zone

This is the age of growth, strength, speed, and transformation. Your body is your vehicle, and it’s operating at peak potential. Muscles are strong. Energy is boundless. You’re learning, yes, but you’re mostly collecting knowledge – inputs, data, raw information.

This phase is about building the engine. You’re getting fit for the race of life, discovering your limits, pushing through them. Whether it’s sport, play, exploration, or rebellion – your body leads the way. That’s why I call this the Physical phase.

26 - 50 Years: The Mental Zone

Here, something shifts. You stop just learning, and you start knowing. You don’t just hold knowledge; you begin to apply it. This is the domain of experience – where you convert raw information into mastery. It’s when your professional skills take shape, your judgement sharpens, your confidence builds.

It’s also the phase where the pace can feel relentless. Career. Family. Business. Stress. Responsibility. This is the time to develop resilience. To craft clarity out of chaos. Mental fitness becomes as important as physical fitness once was.

The Mental zone is where people often come to me feeling stuck. Not because they’re lost – but because they’re overloaded. My job? Help them cut through the noise and rewire their patterns for performance and peace.

51+ Years: The Spiritual Zone

This is where the real magic begins.

By this time, your skillset is so deeply embedded it feels like muscle memory. You’re operating in flow. Not because it’s easy – but because you’re experienced. Life doesn’t throw new problems at you; it throws old ones in new disguises. And you know how to handle them.

This is where many report a stirring, a shift, a restlessness. I call it The Knocking. It’s a quiet nudge from the divine, a whisper that says:

"There’s something deeper. Something more. Are you ready?"

The Spiritual phase isn’t about religion. It’s about reconnection – to self, to purpose, to meaning. It’s about legacy, contribution, and clarity.

And here’s the kicker: you can ignore The Knocking. But do it for long enough, and it will start banging.

Why This Matters

Understanding the Clock of Life helps us reclaim control. It reminds us that we’re not stuck – we’re just in a particular phase. When you know what time it is in your life, you can respond with the right energy, the right focus, the right intention.

• If you’re in your Physical phase, build the base.

• If you’re in your Mental phase, sharpen the sword.

• If you’re in your Spiritual phase, answer the call.

So I ask again:

What is it?

It’s time. Your time. The only question is: what will you do with it?

Ready to stop running in circles and start living on purpose? Let’s work together. Visit www.painpointcoach.co.uk for life coaching techniques, flow coaching methods, and the tools you need to break free and rise.