---
name: time-for-money-leak-detector
description: Audit work and income structure to find time-for-money traps and design escape paths that convert skills into ownership. Use when someone wants to identify how much of their time is being rented vs invested, find conversion opportunities from active income to equity-building assets, or escape the time-for-money trap. Triggers on phrases like "time for money", "renting my time", "equity building", "time-rent ratio", "passive income audit", "escape time trap", "convert skills to ownership", "Naval equity philosophy", "time leak", "active vs passive income", or when someone describes their work activities and wants to know which ones build assets vs just pay bills.
---

# Time-for-Money Leak Detector

A wealth architecture audit based on Naval Ravikant's equity philosophy. Exposes time-for-money traps and designs escape paths that convert skills into ownership — without quitting income streams.

## Core Principle

**Time-rented work:** You get paid once for time spent. Stop working → stop earning.  
**Equity-building work:** You build an asset that pays you. Stop working → asset keeps earning.

The goal is not to quit working. The goal is to shift the ratio.

## The Audit Framework

### Time-Rented vs Equity-Building

| Type | Definition | Examples |
|------|-----------|----------|
| **Time-Rented** | Paid per unit of time. Income stops when work stops. | Employment, consulting, freelancing, project work, retainers |
| **Equity-Building** | Creates an asset that outlasts your time input. | Software, content, products, investments, intellectual property, automated systems |

**Critical rule:** An activity is equity-building **only if stopping it for 6 months doesn't stop the income.** Anything that requires ongoing time to maintain is time-rented, even if it feels "passive."

## Audit Process

### Step 1: Categorize Every Activity

Extract from the user:
- Every work activity they do
- How each is compensated
- Hours per week on each

Classify each as **Time-Rented** or **Equity-Building** using this strict test:

> *"If I stopped all work on this for 6 months, would the income continue?"*
> - **Yes** → Equity-Building
> - **No** → Time-Rented
> - **Partial / requires maintenance** → Time-Rented (flag as "disguised passive")

Flag anything disguised as passive that still requires ongoing time (e.g., a course that needs constant marketing, a rental that needs management, a "passive" product with high support load).

### Step 2: Calculate the Time-Rent Ratio

**Formula:**
```
Time-Rent Ratio = (Hours on Time-Rented Activities / Total Working Hours) × 100
Equity-Build Ratio = (Hours on Equity-Building Activities / Total Working Hours) × 100
```

Most knowledge workers sit at 90–100% time-rented. The goal is not 0% — it's to shift the ratio intentionally.

### Step 3: Assess Equity Potential & Conversion Difficulty

For each time-rented activity, score:

| Dimension | Scale | Questions |
|-----------|-------|-----------|
| **Equity Potential** | 1–5 | How easily can this skill/knowledge be converted into an asset? |
| **Conversion Difficulty** | 1–5 | How much effort to convert? (1 = easy, 5 = hard) |
| **Current Income** | £X | What's at stake? |

### Step 4: Identify Top 3 Conversion Opportunities

Find the best candidates for conversion:
- High equity potential
- Lower conversion difficulty
- Significant current time investment

For each opportunity, define:
- **Current Activity** → What they do now (time-rented)
- **Equity Equivalent** → What it becomes (asset that outlasts time)
- **Effort Score** (1–5)
- **Leverage Upside** (1–5)
- **90-Day Conversion Path** — Specific steps to convert without quitting the income stream

### Step 5: Calculate the Equity Gap

Show what income could look like in 2 years if they convert the top opportunity.

**Calculation approach:**
- Current state: £X/month from time-rented work
- Converted state: £X/month from asset + time freed for next conversion
- Compound effect: Each conversion frees time for the next

### Step 6: Define the First Escape Move

One concrete action to take this week. Not a plan. The actual first step.

## Output Format

```
## Time Audit

| Activity | Type | Hours/Week | Equity Potential | Conversion Difficulty |
|----------|------|------------|------------------|----------------------|
| [Name] | Time-Rented / Equity-Building | X | 1–5 | 1–5 |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Your Time-Rent Ratio

**Time-Rented:** [X]%  
**Equity-Building:** [X]%  
**Interpretation:** [One sentence — where they are vs where they need to be]

## Top 3 Conversion Opportunities

| # | Current Activity | Equity Equivalent | Effort | Leverage | 90-Day Path |
|---|------------------|-------------------|--------|----------|-------------|
| 1 | [Activity] | [Asset it becomes] | 1–5 | 1–5 | [Steps] |
| 2 | [Activity] | [Asset it becomes] | 1–5 | 1–5 | [Steps] |
| 3 | [Activity] | [Asset it becomes] | 1–5 | 1–5 | [Steps] |

## The Equity Gap

**Current trajectory (2 years):** [What happens if nothing changes]  
**Converted trajectory (2 years):** [What happens if top conversion succeeds]  
**Difference:** [The gap — in income, time, and optionality]

## First Escape Move

**This week:** [Exact action — one sentence, no ambiguity]
```

## Conversion Pattern Library

Use these patterns to suggest equity equivalents:

| Time-Rented Activity | Equity Equivalent | Leverage Type |
|---------------------|-------------------|---------------|
| 1:1 consulting | Self-assessment tool + async course | Code / Media |
| Custom proposals each time | Templated productized service with fixed scope | Code |
| Writing content for clients | Own newsletter / publication with product ladder | Media |
| Manual data analysis | Automated dashboard or SaaS tool | Code |
| Teaching workshops | Recorded course with community layer | Media |
| Project management for clients | Licensed system / methodology / templates | Code / Media |
| Recurring client calls | Async video updates + Loom library | Media |
| Building bespoke tools for clients | Productized tool with self-serve onboarding | Code |

## Guardrails

- **No exceptions for high rates.** £1,000/hour consulting is still time-rented. Score it honestly.
- **6-month test is absolute.** If the income stops when work stops, it's time-rented. No "but it's mostly passive" exceptions.
- **Disguised passive must be flagged.** A course that needs 10 hours/week of marketing is not equity-building.
- **Conversions must preserve income.** Never recommend quitting the stream first. Convert alongside.
- **Effort vs leverage must be ranked.** Prioritize high-leverage, lower-effort conversions first.
- **The first move is this week.** Not a strategy. The actual first task.

## Hard Truths to Deliver

- If your time-rent ratio is above 90%, you don't have a business — you have a job.
- The highest-paid consultant is still renting time. Rate is not leverage.
- "Passive income" that requires maintenance is a lie. Flag it.
- The equity gap widens every month you don't convert. Compound interest works in both directions.