Let's not lose sight of what's truly important.
As year-end approaches and we head into the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important.
It’s easy to get caught up in the craze of consumerism—caught up in gifts, toys, and gadgets. But that’s not what it’s all about—and we know it. What it’s all about is spending time with the people we love and doing our best to make sure they feel our love.
And that has nothing to do with gifts and everything to do with these three little, beautiful, powerful words:
I love you.
Tell the people around you that you love them. They need to hear it, and you need to say it. It’s important.
After the holidays, we’ll start a new year—an amazing time for reflection and financial planning. As you do both, try to keep track of what’s important.
Remember:
“The ability to do what you want, when you want, with the people you want, for as long as you want, is the highest dividend that exists in finance.” — Morgan Housel.
As employees, it can be easy to get caught up in our work—focused on the next deadline, project, or promotion. But remember, work isn’t life. Work serves a purpose, and work can provide satisfaction, but life is about doing things you love with the people you love.
And as parents, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. It’s easy to get caught up in the classic competition of milestones, GPA, and extracurricular activities. But none of that matters. What matters is that our kids know we love them, no matter what they do with their lives.
And what matters most to our kids is not what we buy them; it’s the time we spend with them. Remember, they don’t want more stuff. They want time with you.
As we go through life, let’s do our best to remember what’s really important and what’s just a distraction.
And when it comes to your finances, remember that Coast FI or any other financial strategy you use is just a tool. They’re not the most important thing—it’s what they allow you to do that is important.