Your Clock is Ticking

Last week, I wrote about some perks of getting older. Unfortunately, one of the most difficult things about getting older in facing death. Over the past couple weeks, four of my peers have lost their father. They were good men and thought well of by their son’s, wives, and everyone else that knew them.

As a father of three, I think about what if “checked out” early and what my family would say about me at the eulogy. Years ago, I read Steven Covey’s “Seven Habits of Effective People” which had Habit #2 listed as Start With The End in Mind. Imagine your own funeral and what you would want people ( family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.) to say about you.

Using this as a compass has impacted my life dramatically. I actually thought about what words I hope these people use to describe me: loving father that spent tons of time with his kids, dependable friend, honest and trustworthy financial advisor, good Christian and loyal and caring husband.

Sure, I may fail from time to time to always meet these the way I intend, but I don’t think I’m far off very often. I know if you took the time to think about what you would like to be said at your own eulogy or written on your tombstone it would also provide a compass for you.

One thing I feel confident about is that the amount of money or material possessions you are able to accumulate will not make your list. That is why as a major part of my retirement planning practice I try to help people focus on balancing between living for now and investing for later.

HOW YOU SPEND YOUR TIME IS WHAT WILL BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR FOR WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU.

“Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.
It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. “My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.” Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is “T-I-M-E.” ― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life:

Your clock is ticking, be aware of how you are choosing to spend your time. Carve out time for what you value most at the expense for spending time on things that have little significant value.

Let me know how you decide to spend your most valuable asset (time) going forward & please keep spreading these blog post to those you think might benefit from reading them.