I came across this the other day which I thought was absolutely amazing and can’t agree more.
As we grow older, and hence wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a $3,000 or a $30.00 watch doesn’t matter — they both tell the same time. Whether we carry a $3,000 or a $30.00 wallet/handbag — the amount of money inside is the same. Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine — the hangover is the same. Whether the house we live in is 500 or 3,000 sq. ft. — loneliness is the same.
You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world.
Therefore, I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sung songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth– That is true happiness!!
SIX UNDENIABLE FACTS OF LIFE:
- Don’t educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be Happy. So when they grow up they will know the value of things not the price.
- Best awarded words: “Eat your food as your medicines. Otherwise, you will have to eat medicines as your food.”
- The One who loves you will never leave you because even if there are 100 reasons to give up, he or she will find one reason to hold on.
- There is a big difference between a human being and being human. Only a few really understand it.
- You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, You have to manage!
- If you just want to Walk Fast, Walk Alone! But if you want to Walk Far, Walk Together!
SIX BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD:
- Sunlight
- Rest
- Exercise
- Diet
- Self Confidence and
- Friend. Maintain them in all stages of Life and enjoy a healthy life.
The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
The last few weeks I happened to get rides on some really luxury sport cars such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Audi. Yes they were VERY nice cars, way nicer than the one I drive. I found myself admiring the luxurious interiors and the comfortable leather seats. In addition, I was amazed how quiet it was inside these cars and how awesome the audio systems sounded. I also experience super fast acceleration.
Do I feel jealous and want to own one of these luxury cars?
Not really, even though I can buy one in cash if I sold some of our investment portfolio.
To me, cars just get me from point A to point B. I don’t care about the extra stuff. To me, I am better off understanding what creates happiness for me.
Money isn’t the solution for all our problems. Having lots of money doesn’t automatically result in an extraordinary life. Money is just one of the many tools we have in life.
Speaking of life lessons, watch this amazing short video from Victoria Labalme talking about risk forward and unlock your hidden genius.
Don’t worry, the regular financial independence/investing related posts will resume shortly. 🙂
What a great post, Tawcan. You’ve summed up years of life experience and wisdom in one concise post – not an easy task I’m sure.
I also could not agree more with Sunshine as one of the world’s best doctors. I moved to Spain from the UK to get more sun, and it’s been incredible. Everything in life is easier when you’re under a blue sky and feel the sun on your skin.
Hi Ricard,
Sunshine is a great tool for improving your mood.
Great post Tawcan!!! I especially liked number 2. It’s not until we get older that we realize that we can’t live off eating garbage. With all that we know about nutrition now I am definitely hoping to educate my kids so that they know to avoid some of the mistakes I made.
Thanks MustarSeedMoney. It’s definitely important to fuel your body with good nutrition and things that will help you in the long run.
As someone with a theatre background, I loved this whole post (and obviously the video you added). We’re all just trying to figure out where we fit the most comfortably and in doing so, we often forget about HOW to figure that out when the answers are pretty basic.
Thanks Maggie. I really enjoyed that TED talk video… definitely something to think about.
I really love the reflective nature of this post Tawcan 🙂
Life is so much about what you make of it, what you value, what you build, what you spend your time on and who you spend your time with. All of these are choices, or results, of what we do in life. It isn’t pre-decided.
We have a reasonable car, we want nothing more. Maybe we’ll never buy another car again. We’d have to be billionaires to want to spend money on cars like that. It’s just not for us.
Tristan
Hi Tristan,
Glad that you really like this post. Time is precious and we need to value how and who we spend our valuable time with.
“If you just want to Walk Fast, Walk Alone! But if you want to Walk Far, Walk Together!”
This describes my life and my finances till about 5 or 6 years when I married, now we walk far, walk together.
That’s what Mrs. T and I do as well. Glad I have her as my partner. 🙂
Good post, Tawcan. We all need reminders periodically on what’s important in life. The problem is most of us quantitatively driven folks who achieve FI, while we appreciate the depth of such big picture posts, are quietly nudged back by our minds into the ‘probability of retirement success’ and SWR analyses to feed the quantitative monkey inside our brain – and that monkey needs to be well-fed and satisfied before it allows the rest of the brain to ponder the big picture.
Hi Ten Factorial Rocks,
That’s a great analysis about needing to feed the quantitative monkey inside our brain before we can ponder the big picture…. never thought about that before.
Great post Tawcan. I love reading positive post that help teach me something new or keeps me on track with my personal development. I liked the way you phrased some of these undeniable facts. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks More Dividends. That’s why I post stuff like these and not just focus on dividend investing/financial independence topics all the time.
Wow I haven’t heard of the “if you just want to walk fast, walk alone but if you want to walk far, walk together” ever before. Powerful, I’m beginning to realize that maintaining relationships with people gives me happiness and the fact that I’m helping my friends in any way that I can.
I switched from a texting communication and incorporated actually calling my friends and that has made a world of difference for me. Great post!
Thanks Finance Solver. I need to pay more attention in maintaining and developing relationships with people.
What you say is so true Tawcan. Yes, I do admire well designed, beautifully crafted luxury items still. I was admiring the new Jaguar the other day, and I do have a soft spot for any Aston Martin, and like you, by selling off some investments I could own any of these, but would I? Of course not. They are indeed beautiful items (to me) but don’t represent who I am or will ever be. There are way more important things in life than 4 wheels although when you look at some people you wouldn’t think so would you.
Don’t get me wrong, Jaguars and Aston Martins look very nice and I certainly admire them when I see one on the road. But you’ll never see me spending money on one even if I can afford one. 🙂
I think stealth wealth is where it’s at.
Very thoughtful post, Tawcan. I liked the section about best doctors. I’ve never heard it phrased quite that way.
Great post. I do really well with eliminating the needless small to medium sized purchases but struggle with not having nice vehicles. I’m not talking luxury rides or sports cars but I do like to keep newer low mileage vehicles. It’s a weak spot of mine for some reason! I do enjoy your site Tawcan!
Thanks Mr Defined Sight. Given that I drove my previous car for almost 10 years, I’m not in the car enthusiast camp. But I do see why some people like to have newer low mileage vehicles.
Good reminders Tawcan – occasionally the fancier side of life will get me thinking for awhile, a boat would be pretty fun – but then I need the truck to tow it, somewhere to store it, gas/maintenance and the list goes on and on.
I wouldn’t get enough time to enjoy or justify the costs right now.
Things may change once we are FI and time is more of a luxury. But spending money on something that doesn’t enhance our happiness now seems like a waste
Funny you mentioned boats. Quite a number of my co-workers have boats and they’d go on trips regularly. Some of my friends own sailboats and I see their sailboat trip pictures on Facebook quite often, especially in the summer. But I have no desire of owning one. 🙂
Amen Tawcan, the only point I would disagree with is that I find if I drink the good stuff I rarely get a hangover!
It’s important they we remind ourselves on a regular basis about what is important and what is not as we tend to get caught up in our busy lives and forget these things.
Haha Mike, I guess you don’t drink as much when you drink the good stuff. :p
I don’t mind the break from FI / Investing posts at all, posts like these are good reminders of what is important in life and how to live virtuously. I love the six facts of life and the sixe best doctors!
I’m not big into luxury items or spending unnecessarily at all, but I do find myself gawking over the Tesla. Maybe someday when prices continue to drop so that I can justify it economically…
Thanks for the good read.
Nothing wrong with gawking over the Tesla. I just saw a Model X on the highway yesterday and I was admiring it. 🙂
So true about the cars and watches. The rest of the points as well, but those really hit it for me. I used to have a nice Citizen watch I found in the river fishing one day. I found out it was a $500 watch, and when I went to replace it (the crystal got cracked and eventually water killed it, sigh…) I didn’t want to spend that much on a watch. it was nice but not worth it to me.
The same with luxury cars, at one time I wanted a BMW, I still think it would be nice, but now I don’t want to pay the extra costs, insurance hike, and higher repair costs that go along with it. Now, if I found a nice classic car like Ms. Montana’s husband… That could be different.
I was explaining my current car choice to a new friend and how I’d gotten rid of the Genesis to get the Jetta. Pseudo luxury car traded for a no frills car and yet I love my Jetta. I don’t worry about it getting dinged, stolen, scratched, etc… and I love driving it. It fits my needs and it costs way less to drive and maintain. Like Mr. Tako, I am way more into stealth wealth rather than showing everyone how much money I can spend by what I wear or drive.
Like you said, the happiness isn’t from what car I drive or watch I wear, it’s from family, getting to hear, “Daddy!” when I get home, getting to get home early enough to go get the kids with Mrs. SSC, and all the other trappings of the life and family I’ve made. That’s happiness.
I was given a watch from work a few months back because my 10 year work anniversary. I already have a watch that my parents bought for me back in 2000. 16 years later this watch is still running strong. Sure it has some scratches but I use it daily. I still haven’t opened the work watch… unfortunately I can’t sell it because it has work logo.
I’m totally OK to have more money in my bank/investment accounts than driving a fancy car. Hearing Baby T1.0 saying “Daddy” and giving me a hug when I get home is way more valuable than an expensive car.
Great post, Tawcan — it is a great reminder to “stop and smell the roses”. Life is more important than collecting money and stuff. I enjoy it when I see my kids are into collecting “experiences” rather than money.
Hi FerdiS,
Buying experiences over things. That should be how life should be.
The older I get the more I realized I *don’t* want expensive things. They cost way too much life to maintain and attract way too much attention.
Stealth wealth is more interesting to me these days, so avoiding attention is the order of the day.
Stealth wealth is totally the way to go. That’s what my parents have taught me. 🙂