ISHOWSPEED, a YouTube sensation, recently visited Malaysia and created quite a frenzy wherever he went.
For those who may not know him, IShowSpeed – real name, Darren Watkins Jr – was just a regular American teenager, recording himself playing video games a few years ago.
He did not start famous; in fact, his early days were far from glamorous. However, through persistence and his unique approach to creating content, he amassed millions of followers and became a household name in his niche.
Every day, without fail, we are given 1,440 minutes. Time arrives like clockwork, and tomorrow it will bring another 1,440 minutes for you to spend as you choose.
While we may not recognise it as a currency, these minutes are just as valuable, if not more so, than money. They are the raw material from which everything in your life can be built.
For today’s generation, where options are endless and distractions abound, it is crucial to understand that these minutes are meant for building.
You have more potential at your fingertips than any generation before you. What you choose to construct is entirely up to you – be it your hobby, passion, career or relationships. What truly matters is that you build, and that includes taking care of your body as well.
Physical strength and fitness are as much a part of the journey as anything else, and the time you invest in yourself will yield dividends in health, confidence and resilience.
It is no coincidence that in the Qur’an, Surah Al-Asr (103:1-3), Allah swears by time itself: “By time, indeed mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.”
The message is clear: Time is slipping through our fingers every moment. While most of us may waste it, those who recognise its value and use it to do good – for themselves and others – are the ones who will prosper.
It is not just about setting aside time for worship or good deeds but also about recognising that every moment carries weight. Each of those 1,440 minutes is a gift that should be spent wisely, building something meaningful in your life.
Apart from IShowSpeed, think about Khaby Lame too, the internet sensation who began his “building” journey by making short, sarcastic videos on TikTok during the Covid-19 pandemic. No one knew where those minutes would take him, and certainly not Khaby himself. But with consistency, humour and a touch of sarcasm, his simple videos became viral hits.
He built something out of those 1,440 minutes, one video at a time. Now, he is one of the most recognisable faces online. His rise is proof that you do not need a grand master plan to start building. What matters is that you start, brick by brick.
Rumi the poet once said: “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”
The key is to follow that pull, whatever it may be. You may not see results today or even tomorrow, but you are laying the foundation for something greater.
The act of building – of creating something out of your time – will turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
And when it feels like nothing is happening, remind yourself that every great creation started with small steps. Rome was not built in a day, the proverb goes, or closer to home: “Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit.” It is the discipline, the daily act of showing up, that leads to success.
Keep building, and one day, you will look back and see that you have created something remarkable.
Just like Darren and Khaby, who transformed those few spare minutes into a global phenomenon, you have the exact, same power.
So, what are you building today?
The writer is an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, and the principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
