It’s hard to think about tomorrow when there’s so much on our plates today. And this is not just busy work. There are many important things that benefit from our attention. At the same time, we must consider the meaningful sacrifices needed today in order to invest in a better tomorrow.
Perhaps all too often we miss today living for tomorrow or we get stuck ruminating on the past. There’s wisdom in staying focused on the needs of today and not getting distracted by what could’ve been or what might be.
But we can also get stuck in the rat race of today when we don’t plan and invest for a better tomorrow.
Like any investment, a cost is paid today that doesn’t see a return until later. But when we invest wisely this cost pays off in the end.
While we can clearly see this principle in financial investments, it holds true throughout life.
For instance, we might have to sacrifice precious time with family and friends today in order to build the life needed to enjoy life to the full with them tomorrow.
It’s a great cost when we’re not available as much as we desire. But we miss the depth of what’s possible when we just maintain our daily grind – settling for whatever we can get. And eventually we might drift apart if we never have the space to go deeper.
Giving up an evening or weekend to pursue a training, a mentorship, or to otherwise move closer toward our sweet spot at work might be the sacrifices needed to position ourselves to have more time and freedom later.
This is not neglecting our responsibilities for today. We must still show up and do what needs to be done.
But it is taking a longer view and embracing the wisdom of delay gratification – paying a cost today for a better tomorrow.
What sacrifices are needed today for your better tomorrow?
Photo by Михаил Павленко on Unsplash
