I had a conversation with a person in my office several days ago and whilst it doesn't affect me too much at all it left me thinking about the financial future of that person and of people of the same, or similar, age and ethos.
She is very young, around twenty, so totally inexperienced in life; Certainly inexperienced in life above the age of twenty at least. She made some fairly typical twenty-year-old statements about wanting to live now and not worry about the future; This, in respect of financial matters mainly. She cited immediate gratification or enjoyment as being of greater importance than planning for the future. I get it, at twenty, and with no real experience in life, it's probably easier to think that way. After all, a twenty year-old is only a few years away from being a kid chasing pokemon, playing with dolls and with bucket and spade in the sand pit with other children.
But life is relentless is it not? Does not life have a way of moving forward and carrying a person into the their future with inexorable consistency and brutal indifference?
Life is hard and, whilst having fun may seem more enjoyable at the time the fun is ensuing, planning ahead, in some fashion at least, is the only way to ensure that the fun has a chance of continuing into older life. I mean, being older doesn't preclude fun, no matter what young people think.
But it's not just about fun is it? Life I mean. It's about all the adult responsibilities that exist for a person, some we don't even know will come knocking until they do. And when they do, what then?
But a twenty year-old, and others around that age, don't seem to see past their need for instant gratification...Odd considering the average twenty year old speaks as if they know everything. Hey, here's the big tip...They don't. Young people's belief that they know it all seems to be a plague that spreads from one to the next, generally speaking of course. I mean there are some out there seeking a balance between now fun and future-planning.
So, how does a twenty year-old, your typical garden variety version, screw themselves over? Well, by not planning ahead, by embracing consumerism and credit-spending and by a live-for-now ethos is how. Sure, maybe going to that music festival or other now-fun-thing is critical to that person's life and I don't suggest they shouldn't go...But we all know, those that have lived a little more life, that failing to plan is tantamount to planing to fail. It's a pretty simple concept. Didn't plan and invest for your future? Well, don't whinge that you live in a cardboard box on the street as a fifty year-old and can't afford shoes!
I'm not the planning police of course, or a fun-nazi...Trust me, I have had plenty of fun in life and continue to do so, all gained through planning and a little balance...And that's really the key isn't it? Balance. A little for now, a little for later. The everything now ethos is not sustainable.
Investment doesn't just relate to money either. We invest in relationships with others, in ourselves and many other areas. Investment also relates to time and the other commodities of life like emotion, for instance. One can't buy wisdom and certainly time doesn't always bring it either however I see so many of the younger generations wasting one of their most valuable assets and in the process screwing themselves over. The asset? The experiences of those who went before them, the older people.
I see many bright young people screw their potential future's over, through simple ignorance of or ability to release their ego and listen to those who have been there and done that, so to speak. But what do I know? I'm not twenty so couldn't possibly understand.
Young people have an opportunity and whilst they will grab it or waste it depending on their upbringing, intelligence and personal-ethos the opportunity exists, just as it did for me twenty nine years ago when I was twenty. [I grabbed it if you're wondering, and never stop learning.]
Each person must make their own way in life and I'm not a parent so have no young ones to influence. When the twenty year-old's of today are sixty I'll be gone and won't care what their lives look like but what I know is that they will regret, wholeheartedly, their decision not to plan ahead. There may not be a whole lot of fun to be had for them at that point, and no one around to offer the handouts they so vehemently believe they are due. And right now...Their care-factor? Zero. [Generally speaking of course.]
The way forward? Well, mostly the young ones don't want to hear it, and some of the older too. It's funny, I mostly find the ones that disagree with future-planning and investment are ones that don't do it. Funny that, huh? The way forward...Well it's up to the individual to work that out but for me it involves a little balance and a lot of ownership and responsibility. Very little comes easy these days and there's plenty of financial pain and struggle on the way for those who are not prepared. A quick scan of the state of affairs around the world should make this clear.
I didn't say much of this to the twenty year-old from my office the other day though, I just listened to all the bullshit about getting drunk, music festivals, credit-cards, after-pay, brand new car, new phone, fake eye-lashes, botox-lips, and fake tan that seemed so very important. Saving, investing and planning ahead didn't even come into her thoughts it seems.
Me: Plan and invest now, for the future.
Others: Care-factor, zero.
A non-twenty year-old steem-user wrote the below lines in response to a post I made a while ago. I think it's a nice way to put it so thank you 
Planning finances for the future is better than trying to catch up afterwards. At least I think so. That doesn't mean having some fun now isn't worthwhile, just need to balance the two.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default and aim small, miss small.
Discord: 
P.s. For the record, I know and respect a few young people who work towards their future, who don't expect everything now and are happy to apply effort and ownership to their lives and refuse to buy into the commonly-held belief that they are owed something. My post speaks generally about the others though, the ones who pretend to be adults but act like children, who hide behind their youth and use it as the reason they have no plan, seek short-cuts and shift responsibility. The ones who think they are the smartest people in the room but are, indeed, not. The end.
