The Past Is Today

Here's what happened to me: I spent my twenties not thinking about my future. Everything was about right now. Then the future came, and all of the sudden it wasn't cool that the "me" in the past stole from the "me" in the present so that the "past me" could have some fun.

When that happens, it's a pretty easy thing to spot, and you regret what you did. That sucks that I racked up tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt during college on stupid stuff. That's an easy call. I regret being so shortsighted. I paid for that shortsightedness for a long time.

Here's where it gets more difficult: what will your future self regret about today? Are you setting up the "future" you to succeed or fail? Is the "future" you going to be thankful that you're making the decisions you are making right now, or regretful?

This isn't just about financial decisions, either. How are you going to look back at your current actions as a parent when your kids are older and much more independent? On a related note, I've heard that a lot of people split up after the kids leave home because they spent so much time on their kids and careers that they forgot to spend time together. That's the future person regretting what their past person did.

It goes right up until the end of life. Someday you meet God (even if you don't believe, I'm sorry to say). You account for your life. Is that accounting with regret or thanksgiving?

The past is today. Live it for no regrets.