People just starting their working life need to understand that it’s very likely they will be working for forty or more years. The “twenty years in & collect a pension” days applied to very few people, for a very short period of time. What’s more, the average person will hold at least four long-term jobs (5 to 10 years) in their working lifetime.

Trent – reliability and functionality are where it’s at, for people as well as things! And as you also said: use it or lose it. Applies to everything, from physical strength to sexual health to mental agility to financial well-being.

Speaking for them, we weren’t thinking that far ahead. We came from poor backgrounds with parents who had no idea how to handle money and told us that college was the answer no matter what.

Lesson learned though, I have no one to blame but myself and it’s not too late to turn things around.

I also agree with Steve regarding karma. It isn’t material! It’s usually served cold, so even though you may not see it, I believe people who put out really negative and ugly things will suffer the consequences in time. Perhaps long after they are out of your life.

Karma? really? More like just consequences to your actions.
People can do positive things and still have negative things happen to them, or just the opposite.
Karma. Ah, if only. As Jon noted, “good” things happen to “bad/undeserving” people while “good/deserving” folks often get royally “s_ _ _ _ ed.” That’s just life. It’s even more upsetting if you believe that karma is in effect (look around any big company and it’s clear that it isn’t)cause then you are expecting it to be in action–and it often is not.

Take a GOOD look at the nasty, mean people who “get ahead”. Haven’t you noticed that they may have wealth but are still unhappy? A thief, or even a greedy person, is always too busy worrying about what they have to truly enjoy it. karma isn’t about the material .. it’s about happiness and peace of mind.

Had I written this list, I might have emphasized the importance of delayed gratification, which you do treat with the topic of having goals – but I think it’s more important than knowing oneself. But we differ very little.

But, Karma. Ah, if only. As Jon noted, “good” things happen to “bad/undeserving” people while “good/deserving” folks often get royally “s_ _ _ _ ed.” That’s just life. It’s even more upsetting if you believe that karma is in effect (look around any big company and it’s clear that it isn’t)cause then you are expecting it to be in action–and it often is not.

that old cliche–virtue is its own reward–is still valid.

You do the “right thing” because that’s your choice about who you are.

We’ve all seen plenty of mean, self-serving, selfish, nasty, thoughtless, cruel, hateful folks get ahead n life and stay there. And it can make you crazy if you let it, or worse, harden you or change your own personality.

Over the years, we’ve all seen people do hateful things in our private and professional lives. However, rarely, if ever, does it catch up with these folks.

Yea, I used to believe in karma. But you live long enough, you realize that even though it may exist, way too many folks don’t seem to be subject to it.

Great work, man.