Doing Time
Time is a funny thing. It can work for you, or it can work against you. Which way it goes, depends on how you handle it. Or, more accurately, when and how you spend it. If you squander it, you'll soon discover that it works against you.
I've read the Rich Dad books, written by Kiyosaki. First, I'd recommend them to just about anyone. Some 20% of the books are advertisements for his products. But, there is a lot of good stuff in them. At the very least, reading even the first, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, will give you new ways of looking at things.
In his book, Kiyosaki raises a very interesting question: "What is the most valuable resource (commodity) in existence?" The answer to that question is simple: time. Time is the one thing, once spent, can never be regained. When it's gone, it's gone.
The point Kiyosaki makes is, if you waste time, you're screwed. This is especially important with finances. If you don't pay when you're young, you'll pay when you're old.
Some two weeks ago, she fought with Jess and myself about taking the NYS Regents exam for her grade. She whined and cried that she couldn't do it. First, I have to say something my ex used to say, "Can't means you won't. Won't means you're lazy." My daughter likes to do that a lot though, shed crocodile tears over something, so she doesn't have to do it.
Now, she has the chance to go camping with family members, and go to Washington, D.C. She's eking out of it, because (I think) it will mean a week apart from her current beau. (She's had four or five in the past two months.)
Ok, so I get it. I hate to be apart from Jess. Jess and I are one of those couples. You know the ones; they're together all the time. Joined at the hip. I always thought those couples were pathetic. But, really, my daughter is a bit young to even know what love is, let alone to have found it.
So, back on topic. To snake out of the family trip (which I think would be a good thing), she's citing the Regents exam which will be on the 16th. Now, mind you, she's not studied for this test. Instead, she's spent all her time with the beau d'jour.
Two weeks ago, she fought tooth and nail that she couldn't pass. Now she doesn't want to. Only now, she wants to use it as an excuse. During that fight, I finally got tired of it. I told her it was completely up to her. She's 15. In a few short years, she'll be out in the world. The decisions she's making now will affect her for the rest of her life. She's the one that will have to live with the consequences.
And that's where I'm going with this. She's at the point where she has a choice. She can do her time now. Get it over with. Work now. Or, she can goof off now. Be part of the cool crowd, or whatever. Then, twenty years from now, she can be scraping just to get by.
This is personal experience for me. I'm pushing 40. I'm now in a career I could have easily started some 15 years ago. In five years, the Good Lord willing, I'll be making six figures. I'll have changed my entire financial position. The problem is, I starved the last 15 years. I could have been doing this then. Which means, I'd be fucking retired by now.
Mind you, I'm happy with where I'm now. I just wish I could have gotten here much sooner.
So, that's what I'm saying here. Soon or late, you'll do your time. Do it now, before it's too late.
I've read the Rich Dad books, written by Kiyosaki. First, I'd recommend them to just about anyone. Some 20% of the books are advertisements for his products. But, there is a lot of good stuff in them. At the very least, reading even the first, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, will give you new ways of looking at things.
In his book, Kiyosaki raises a very interesting question: "What is the most valuable resource (commodity) in existence?" The answer to that question is simple: time. Time is the one thing, once spent, can never be regained. When it's gone, it's gone.
The point Kiyosaki makes is, if you waste time, you're screwed. This is especially important with finances. If you don't pay when you're young, you'll pay when you're old.
Sooner or later, you do your time. When you do it, is up to you.I have the pleasure of being the father of a 15yo girl. She's a pretty decent kid, with a decent head on her shoulders. The trouble is, she's discovered boys. Not, necessarily a bad thing, but she's now putting them ahead of everything else.
Some two weeks ago, she fought with Jess and myself about taking the NYS Regents exam for her grade. She whined and cried that she couldn't do it. First, I have to say something my ex used to say, "Can't means you won't. Won't means you're lazy." My daughter likes to do that a lot though, shed crocodile tears over something, so she doesn't have to do it.
Now, she has the chance to go camping with family members, and go to Washington, D.C. She's eking out of it, because (I think) it will mean a week apart from her current beau. (She's had four or five in the past two months.)
Ok, so I get it. I hate to be apart from Jess. Jess and I are one of those couples. You know the ones; they're together all the time. Joined at the hip. I always thought those couples were pathetic. But, really, my daughter is a bit young to even know what love is, let alone to have found it.
So, back on topic. To snake out of the family trip (which I think would be a good thing), she's citing the Regents exam which will be on the 16th. Now, mind you, she's not studied for this test. Instead, she's spent all her time with the beau d'jour.
Two weeks ago, she fought tooth and nail that she couldn't pass. Now she doesn't want to. Only now, she wants to use it as an excuse. During that fight, I finally got tired of it. I told her it was completely up to her. She's 15. In a few short years, she'll be out in the world. The decisions she's making now will affect her for the rest of her life. She's the one that will have to live with the consequences.
And that's where I'm going with this. She's at the point where she has a choice. She can do her time now. Get it over with. Work now. Or, she can goof off now. Be part of the cool crowd, or whatever. Then, twenty years from now, she can be scraping just to get by.
This is personal experience for me. I'm pushing 40. I'm now in a career I could have easily started some 15 years ago. In five years, the Good Lord willing, I'll be making six figures. I'll have changed my entire financial position. The problem is, I starved the last 15 years. I could have been doing this then. Which means, I'd be fucking retired by now.
Mind you, I'm happy with where I'm now. I just wish I could have gotten here much sooner.
So, that's what I'm saying here. Soon or late, you'll do your time. Do it now, before it's too late.
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