Planning For The Future Is Tough

We plan all sorts of things in our daily lives. There are people who make their living planning things like wedding planners, vacation planners, or financial planers. When it comes to planning most of us are more than happy to put that responsibility in the hands of professionals.

As it turns out there is a very good reason for that. Because the hardest part about planning for the future is — none of us knows what the future holds for us. Most people spend more time planning a vacation than planning for the rest of their lives.

Age Doesn’t Help

“You’ve got your whole life ahead of you,” high school and college graduates are told each spring. However, whether you’re in your 20’s or 70’s you still have a future and planning is still necessary.

Older citizens face many challenges in their so-called, “Golden Years.” They are called golden years because over your life you were supposed to have accumulated some form of wealth that would see you through those years when you are less productive. After a life time of work, it's nice to wake up and experience a day where you decide what will happen.

Younger adults have more educational and earning options and also have the luxury of time. They can make more mistakes with lessor consequences than their older counterparts.

Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

If I’ve learn one thing in my many years on this earth it’s this, “Money doesn’t make your life better; it just make your life easier.” Money can’t buy good health, bring back lost loved ones, or buy love. The quality of your present and future life is greatly affected by your bank balance. There is a very thin line between the American dream and the American nightmare.

Planning your financial future is something that few younger people think about. In my own example I was convinced that, A.) There would always be plenty of time for that, and B.) There were too many material things I had to have right now that cost money. Nice car, big house, etc. I could start an aggressive savings program down the road.

Quality of Life

I don’t think there are many people who see themselves begging on the street as their future. All of us stood up in school in the fourth grade and announced what we wanted to be when we grew up. I can’t remember anyone saying, “drug dealer” or “serial killer.” Everyone wanted to make a difference. I was going to be a professional baseball player like my hero, the late Stan Musial.

Some Final Thoughts

No matter how old or young we are, as long as we are alive, we have a future ahead of us. Youth is no guarantee of long life. And age is relative to how you feel about it. Some people are old at 40 others are young at 90.

I wish I could predict what the future holds for me. All any of us can do is make the most of each day given to us and be the best we can just for that day. And wake up tomorrow with the same goal. What’s your plan for that elusive future?