Saving and Investing : Retirement Lesson from a 5 year Old
Sudeep Alex
Helping Professionals in the UAE Achieve Financial Freedom Amid Industry Cycles | Read the 'About' section If You are Employed in Oil & Gas
The Homework
Last Tuesday evening I was working on my business plan. The funny part is, my 5 yr daughter noticing it commented, "Appa! you look like a school child doing homework", giggling.
"Really? I don't know this homework, can you help me?", I replied. Surprisingly she offered me to look into it!
My marketing plan was slowly taking shape, but where I really needed someone's help was with 'My own persona'. It felt like I was asking myself a million dollar question , "Who the hell are you?" I couldn't believe I was in that situation with a brain fog.
In the fullness of her innocence, and spontaneously she answered me with a smile, "you are my Appa, what's so difficult?"
She carried on with her crayon work not even realizing it should be a proud moment for her, and show some gratification on her face for having been able to help her dad out from a puzzle. No!
Forever Titles
The real titles that we want to carry forever are from our #relationships. That's what really matters. When I was searching my soul that evening for 'Who am I?', it needed the intelligence of a 5 year old to find my answer. That's how simple it is.
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Because the fact that we are a dad, mom, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grand-dad/ mom and so on will never change. It's 'forever'.
All the clutter that we are now in is temporary. Our official titles, which is profound in our persona is going to last until #retirement only. Deadlines, targets, meetings, expansion, influencing, negotiations and all becomes part of a past drama.
The ugly truth is, retaining the forever titles comes with a cost. You have got to finance it. even while you are not depending on work for #income . And the #money has to last long enough. The number says, the 90s population have tripled over last 3 decades.
Retaining the forever titles comes with a cost
Even if retirement seems far away, the steps that you take now, to save and invest, can greatly improve your #standards of living when the paychecks eventually stop.
Creating a #pension is liberating. Hope you would enjoy that journey!
Your Financial Architect
Sudeep Alex