Thursday 10 November 2011

What if tomorrow never comes?

 

"Borrow with pride" from Swakoo's posting
 

I would like to share another "borrow with pride" moment!

We were having a great discussion at the below investors' forum and I was totally inspired!


http://www.valuebuddies.com/thread-1566-page-4.html


Another forum member Orang asked a very thought provoking question: "Then what?"


We tend to think in linear terms. And we extrapolate in straight lines - using past experience to predict the future!? This is very much like driving using the rear view mirror...

When it comes to Financial Freedom or Independence, most of us will say - if I achieved this and that, then I will...... The targets we give ourselves are more or less a combination of below:


1) When I've earned my first million (Then what? Change the goal to my next 10 million? When is enough enough? Hit 10 million increase goal to 100 million? It's a journey with no destination?)

2) When I've earned my first million by age 40 (Why the rush? I know I will die much younger than my peers? Or is it more so I can "smile down" others who did the same but at a later age than me?)

3) When my passive income exceeds my living expenses (Hey!? Do I need a million now? And what has age got to do with anything?)


11 months ago, I was having the same kind of dialogue between my mind and heart. And I am glad I've taken the first steps towards living my life in accordance to: "What if tomorrow never comes?" 


Is my net worth at an ideal level? No. (It's never enough!)  

Is my passive income at a healthy gap with my living expenses? No. (If I got an expensive and long drawn illness like kidney failure I will be in deep shit!) 

And don't talk about age... I am already past 40... (So? On some days I feel like 21 years young! And it's defintely not that I in a rush to "smile down" others past 44...)


I've decided to follow what Deng Xiao Peng advised: "Feel the rocks as we gently find our way across the river."

Of course it's equally OK if you prefer to wait for a boat to come along, or to build your own bridge across the river. Hey! Different strokes for different folks!


P.S. For new readers, you may want to read my first bite-sized story on my interpretation between "having lived and making a good living".

7 comments:

  1. Hi SMOL,
    In a sense, "tomorrow" will never come. Even until we are all gone.

    We actually have what we have now and even this is just for this very moment. Enjoy now with whom you are with. Enjoy now with what you are doing. Remember in a sense, "tomorrow" will never come. Though nobody is sure tomorrow will come. Yet we live(subconsciously)tomorrow will surely comes. Even if tomorrow comes, you think of a new tomorrow.
    There you are at it again; In a sense, tomorrow will never come.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi SMOL

    Living in the moment is such a difficult thing to do in a world full of busy-ness, distractions and activities.

    That is why to find happiness in each moment is such a powerful thing.

    Be well and prosper.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1) Hi Temperament,

    I sometimes wonder what makes us different from God's other creatures... Animals live, procreate, die; but they don't leave a trail of monuments and edifices on Mother earth.

    Men leave a lot of accumulated man-make "stuffs" beind when we go...

    Here I go off tangent again!


    2) Panzer,

    That's why I envy you. I guess looking at your daughter's smile at the end of the work day is happiness :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. my solution : i'm always poor, no matter what happen.

    my wealth does not belongs to me, it is just in my care, they belongs to someone else. it always will be.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi SMOL, Coconut,

    i fully agreed. It's definitely not your money until you have spend it. i have share this with LP. So don't ever regret spending your money. As long as you have left some behind for someone or many, when it's time for you leave for good. Ha! Ha!

    ReplyDelete
  6. SMOL
    How to say... I had put off making a will since 4yrs ago... I know I need 1.. but din move my butt even though I had more or less nominate my mum in case anything happens

    Anyway.. this blogpost make me realise..my will still not done. Had contact rockwill for more details for trust. will go down soon. really soon

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Kappo,

    Eh... I've not done my will yet too (red-faced)!

    Technically I've no "dependants" being single and all...

    But thanks to you, I've realised that I should also make it easier for my parents (they are in their late 60s early 70s) by appointing one of my sibling to be the executor of my will.

    The last thing I want is for my parents to figure out themselves what to do with my equities, silver, and currencies portfolio!? Sell or hold? I need to write some standing instructions too.

    Thanks Kappo! That's the beauty of blogging!!! To use the words of qian bei CW8888, we "feed" each other :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...