Lately I’ve made a concerted effort to try and stay in the present. A couple weeks ago I got harsh reminder that life can change at any moment when I found out that my assignment was extended by 60 days. That news forced me to think about the past year and the stress I’ve been under while in a remote area and on-call 24/7. In essence it forced me to refocus.
Then Morgan Housel and his blog happened. If you don’t know who he is, you’ll find out quickly if you’re into personal finance. He has a book, called the Psychology of Money which is extremely popular and is the #1 best seller in personal money management on Amazon. Mr. Housel is an extremely talented writer who has a knack for delivering complex topics in a simply digestible manner.
His blog post, “How to do Long Term“, struck a cord with me. Specifically his advice of viewing the long run as a collection of short runs you have to put up with. I read it and immediately understood. Everything I’ve done so far has a been a collection of short runs that I put up.
Whether it was my childhood, the U.S. Naval Academy, getting through medical school, becoming a surgeon, or investing, I’ve always kept the long run in mind and tolerated the short runs which included a lot of adversity. The end goal has always been my target. The path to get there may be rocky, but it will all be worth it in the end.
For me, the end goal is the creation of generational wealth, while leaving a legacy that allows others like me to become successful and not allow adversity to curtail there dreams. My long term goals allow me to maintain my focus through tough times. It’s what allowed me to survive a traumatic childhood and allows me to stay focused when I get bad news even today.
Remember your long term goals. Don’t forget them and allow yourself to be enamored with the highs or fearful of the lows along the way. If you can do that successfully, you’ll reach your goal in the end and be extremely happy with yourself.
As always if you have questions or concerns regarding creating an emergency fund, investing, real estate, insurance, or planning for the future, don’t be afraid to speak with qualified financial advisor. Smart Asset has a great tool to find an advisor in your area or feel free to email me (contact@surgifi.com) to help you on your path to financial independence.
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