In the next section, I'll briefly discuss some practical strategies for
handling and preparing for the future.
Stop predicting the uncertain future
In the stock trading world, there is none who could forecast and predict
the future market movements accurately. In the similar manner, none can predict
the future of life and its outcome, you can't manipulate the occurrences in the
future. There are certain outcomes that are out of our control, and one such is
future outcomes. Future
humbles us in our fight against prediction. Keeping this in mind,
redress our thoughts about future. Accept the fate and move on.
Life should
not be considered complex
The simpler the life, the more contentment you gain. Roads with more hair pin bends and pit holes discomforts the driver. Likewise, when you set your life to be more complex and non-linear, life becomes hard nut to crack. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
"Life is really simple,
but we insist on making it complicated.” - Confucius
“Take a simple idea and take it seriously.” – Charlie Munger
Everything about Warren Buffett’s investment style is simple. The genius behind E= mc2 is its simplicity and elegance. The simpler your life, the happier your life will be in the future.
Minimalism is extension of simplicity
Try to be minimalistic. Minimalism advocates “Less is more.” Purchase the must ones and not the ones which gives you temporary pleasure. Surely, while flaunting your new iPhone 14 series can make people envious and makes you feel happy, you may discover that over time you don't appear to appreciate and care for the gadget as much as you did when you first got it. Meanwhile, how many times you were awestruck watching the various pattern of the disappearing sun during the evening. Scores of times right, you would have watched this act. However, every time you bring out the same joy and vibrant mood while observing the nature. See, this is the actual state of happiness that residues in the soul, but we seek happiness from worldly things. So, identify the possessions that are going to give you the permanent contentment and try ignoring or buying less the things that give temporary happiness.
Develop the
character of Resilience
Be prepared
to face the consequences, threats and losses in the future. No one matter how
special you think you are, Life is a roller-coaster ride. Develop the character
of resilience. Men, who are trained to be resilient, effectively handles
situations that happens out of blue. A resilient scholar in his mid 40s lost
his son in battle, instead of grieving over the loss of his Son, he stated that
“I knew the moment when my son was born, he has to die one day.”
Develop your professional skills
"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn." - Alvin Toffer
Develop your technical skills by attending training, taking a course, reading often, practicing. The upgraded knowledge is the only weapon you have to help you in the case of unexpected changes.
Sometimes
it is good to surround yourself with Jerks
"Good things happen in your life when you
surround yourself with positive people." – Roy Bennett
And the opposite is also true.
It's fine to have acquittance with jerks. Jerks are the ones who rebel against
your success and shatter your self-confidence to the ground. Good people never
stopped to notice your weakness and always laud your efforts. On the contrary,
People who are wrong-headed and jerks undermine your efforts in the preparation
for the better future. You believe that starting a business or choosing a
better profession could aid you a safe haven in the future, but jerks constantly
emphasis the negative consequences your choices would create in the future. Their criticism, bullying helps
you to understand your flaws, weakness and mistakes, which aids you in
preparing a better person for the future.
Art of giving
Ever wondered, why four out of top ten billionaires in America are Jews?
Jews constitute less than 2% of America's population, Yet, in the race for
billionaires, this group outperformed others.
Remembering the famous quote from Deepak Chopra, "When you want something,
give it." Jews follow this
success mantra which helps them to build fortune and success
overtime. When you are the ones who focus only on receiving and shy away
from giving, then typically, the harder you work to achieve your goal, the
further away it seems to be. Your future income is determined by how
many people you serve and how well you serve them.
Build your reputation
Our word of mouth and reputation are very important things to be human. In the more traditional Jewish and Japanese communities, everything is based on absolute trust in every member of the community. When someone needs help starting a new business or for any other need, the entire community mobilizes and contributes by lending money. And this loan is often interest-free, without a contract, just sealed with a word and a handshake between the parties. This is enough. The person had given his word that he would return the borrowed money on the agreed date. In India, however, the beneficiary does not uphold his reputation and honor in terms of repayment. This is the vital reason why Indians don't lend money. Good reputation builds a solid future for you and your family. Just because you have a prosperous and powerful life does not guarantee the same for your children or grandchildren. The reward of your good name and dignity would be passed down to your heirs through the ages.
Emergency funds
Emergency funds are the vital fund that should be in everyone's investment portfolio. In the future, emergency funds act as hedge against inevitable financial worries in the form of job loss and medical emergencies. Stash cash which is five times your current income to counter act the emergency needs in the future. Please check my article "Emergency funds bliss to salaried personal" to know more about emergency funds.
Mortality awareness
"Fear does not prevent death. It prevents life"
- Buddha
"Every mortal will taste death. But only some will taste life." – Rumi
Mortality is the only fact of life that is never going to be wrong. Awareness of mortality gives us compelling reason to live fully. Death is certain any time, but we have a choice how we can die - with regret or with smile. People who live fully and with purpose, fear less about death than the people who lived unfulfilled and meaninglessly. Live your life fully so you don't have to regret over anything during death in the future.
Build a powerful body
Success can’t be achieved through poor health. Incorporating exercise into your daily life improves your overall health condition. It doesn’t matter how long you train each day, but stay consistent. Strong body helps you in building the strong future.
Bottomline
India ranked 136th in the World Happiness report 2022 because
of prominent factors such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, pollution and cleanliness.
In addition to these factors, vast majority of Indians are conservative phobic
and worry a lot about the future. What if I lose my job? What if my kids don’t study
well? What if I choose a profession which doesn’t belong to the rat race? What
if I'm not a step ahead of my relative? How many what ifs and concerns about
future. It's high time we stop living the other people’s live and begin to live
our own life to the fullest. Happiness is the quality of thought, state of mind, hence can be achieved only when you live your life the fullest. Hope some of the strategies discussed in the
article helps you to deal with the future in more positive approach.
