Don't Trade Today for Tomorrow

Recently while encouraging a friend of mine to participate in an activity, she said she couldn't do it. She had all kinds of reasons, each of which seemed important enough to her. In reality she was saying "I don't want to do this as much as I want to do these other things", or perhaps "I don't see enough benefit to me in doing what you suggest and here are other things that benefit me more".

I can see her point of view. If something doesn't appeal to you, don't do it. Don't make excuses for not doing it; just say "I don't want to do it". Don't try to rationalize or convince others that your reasons for not wanting to do something should be their reasons for not wanting it too. Speak for yourself and accept that responsibility.

One of the silliest reasons I hear for not doing something has to do with retirement. I know people who plan their whole lives around what their retirement will look like. These people work hard to get the money, trading their life today for what might happen tomorrow. They can't do this or that now but are looking forward to the day when they have more time. They trade their today for the vague possibility of what tomorrow might look like.

The problem is you may not be there when that day arrives. In fact for many people, me included, trading today for tomorrow is simply a bad idea. This doesn't mean you shouldn't plan for a future. But every time you find yourself squeezing the joy and living out from today in exchange for the possibility of a life tomorrow, think about my situation. I no longer do long term planning.

Balance is the key to life. Joy in the day must be in balance with the possibility of a tomorrow. The challenge is in getting the right balance. Those who would trade away love, life, family, and the joy of the day in exchange for a fleeting possibility some time down the road are cheating themselves.

What's worse is that many of them are making excuses or using things like money and time as a lie to themselves. If you don't want to do something, just say so. But don't tell me that you might do it sometime in the future. Live for today, plan for tomorrow and be happy with your choices.

And don't trade today for tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes.