Preparing for the future means to hope for the best, but expecting the worst. You want to save money for potential disasters and you want to be prepared to lose everything at a moments notice. Preparing for the future also means to continually build useful skills.
In my opinion, the most important thing about preparing for the future is money. Without money you will go nowhere. Nothing is free. Houses cost money and so do children. I definitely do not want to struggle.
This is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of my readers, researchers, and website visitors. So much so that one of them were kind enough to share their own personal opinions. I don’t claim to be the best interviewer in the world, but I do promise some good, raw, and honest answers from normal people like you and me. I do my best to NOT filter these answers, except for the bad words and hateful speech.
With that little blurb out of the way, let’s dive right into the juicy bits of (potentially) life-changing insights.
Current Topic: Preparing For The Future
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!) ‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
[This interview is inspired and fueled by research done for my book: Staying Motivated at Work.]
R: What are some of the biggest reasons you would ever look into this subject?
I: You will know what’s coming for starters. On top of knowing what comes, you will be prepared for it. If your not prepared for it, you will learn to eventually and realized it is critical to prepare for the future. Its a key concept to learn and have with you in life.
R: What is the biggest, life-changing thing that could come from this topic?
I: Preparing for the future is essential to financial success. When deciding on what career path to take one should consider several things. If one does not set a career goal when they are young it could come back to haunt them later in life.
When preparing for the future make sure you train for a career that you are interested in, one that has the opportunity for advancement, and one that will allow you to support a family later in life. Many people who do not wisely prepare for the future may have to make major career transformations later in life. These changes could be time consuming and costly.
R: Tell me about your thoughts on how this helps folks be better in life?
I: The saying is that practice makes perfect. What that means is that if one prepares for the future, then most likely they will receive and achieve positive results. Getting one’s goals realized with preparation means the person is better for having achieved his goals.
R: Who out there is a good example of using this subject to the fullest?
I: A person who is proactively taking steps to improve himself is best at preparing for the future. When we take definitive action to make ourselves better (improve) then we are positioning ourselves to succeed in the future. If we maintain an effort of continuous improvement we will find more and more successes in our lives.
R: Break it down for me real quick – who just plain sucks at this topic?
I: Someone who is preoccupied with either the past or past failures. Or they are unable to disconnect from present distractions. This type of person is usually dwelling on past events, or has tunnel vision when it comes to his/her future. They tend to live for the day until that dreadful day comes when they wished they would have prepared for the worst.
R: Give us an example of what you do to make this topic a part of your daily duties.
I: I would become a guidance counselor. High school guidance helps students to prepare for the future. Because a guidance counselor is a job, I would have made preparing for the future a part of my life.
R: When do you think new folks should get into this topic?
I: I think you should always be preparing for the future. Perhaps the most important time, but possible the least utilized is the college years. Getting the most out of your college education is vital in preparing for the future.
R: Tell me about an inappropriate time to bring up this topic or use it in life?
I: when you are doing something bad and try to justified with saying that you are preparing, like lets say dealing drugs and you say its for the future of your kids, for them to have money
R: Where in people’s daily lives do you think this topic would fit in nicely?
I: One of the best ways to have a bright future is to start the days with a short organizational moment. When at home, getting ready to start the day, maybe while drinking coffee or tea, think about your day’s obligations and plans. Quickly prioritize tasks and projects and make sure you have all you need to accomplish the day’s pursuits.
R: Tell us about the worst place to make this subject part of our lives.
I: The worst place to make preparing for the future a part of your life if when you are suffering from depression. Someone who is sick is not able to plan for the future. One recovers from an illness, then it is time to prepare for the future.
R: Who’s someone (or group) you think could gain a bunch from learning more about this topic?
I: Nonprofit organizations could use more help in preparing for the future. In general, they are so busy doing today’s work that they forget how to plan for their very existence tomorrow. There are some funders who help with this planning, but it’s just not enough.
R: Give me an example of something we can do to discover more about this subject.
I: I suggest that training become the sole goal of those who wants to prepare for the future. There has got to be training or teaching involved to prepare for the future. Without education, there is no path to a better future.
R: What’s something people should avoid if they’re looking into this subject?
I: Burning bridges. Ruining relationships may seem satisfying now, but in the future that connection might be exactly what you need. Most opportunities come from who you know, not what you know.
R: Given any tool available, what would you recommend folks do make this subject a bigger part of their lives?
I: 1. A person can save money.2. A person can invest in stocks and bonds.3.Plan ahead for unexpected emergencies.
~~~~~
Thank you for reading this personal journey into becoming a better person and having a better future ahead of you. I hope you enjoyed this interview conversation and found golden nuggets you can immediately apply to your daily life.
If you want to get more productivity (and fulfillment!) out of your work, career, and life through being more motivated, then check out Staying Motivated at Work.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or personal life-changing wisdom below.