Here is an exercise everyone should consider doing. Imagine your birthday party someday in the distant future. Who is going to be there? Will they want to be there to celebrate with you, will they be there out of obligation, will they not come at all? Will you be celebrating you? Makes you think, doesn’t it? Your legacy starts in the past, goes through today, into the future and (hopefully) long after you have passed.
I am now sixty-one years old; I am imagining how my birthday will be in fifteen years. I will be seventy-six. My wife will be there; we will be approaching our fiftieth wedding anniversary. She is still my moral guidepost and my rock. She is likely beginning to show her age, but just as beautiful in my eyes as she is today. My three kids and their spouses are there with my handful of grandchildren, my oldest grandchild will be a senior in high school, man how time flies, I will be thinking…”it seems like yesterday when she was two years old, and I was her Papa”. I expect my mother may attend, though at 97 years old she may finally be slowing down a bit. I am proud of all of them, and they are proud of me.
Knowing me, I am still coming into the office occasionally but have handed over the important stuff to my son Austin. I genuinely enjoy what I do, so why would I quit? Austin has already proven his aptitude for this profession, his duty of care and loyalty to the clients is exceptional so I am confident that in 15 years all of you will be relieved that Austin is there, and I am no longer running things. I am sure the practice will have changed, and he will have made it his own. At 76 years old, I am thankful for his hard work and proud of what we built together. I am traveling more, still active, and able, spending time with those I love.
If this is my vision quest, what should I be doing now to increase the probability of my success? Do I need to simply recalibrate my compass or completely turn this ship around?
I urge everyone to take time and do this exercise yourself, write it down so it becomes embedded in your mind. While you do not have perfect control over your journey, you do have more control than anyone else. We all know that life happens and priorities change. As Austin says, “the most important part of the plan is to plan for the plan to not go as planned”, but that doesn’t mean we need to rely on fate to guide our future. We are all gifted by our own free will, we choose our own path, and the obstacles are the way. I challenge you to envision your future birthday, are you on the right path? Are the things you are worried about today really that important? Is there something in your life you are doing that may lead to future regret? Let go of pettiness, be thankful of how you are blessed and soldier on to the future you!