Begin With the End In Mind


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A few months ago, my preacher mentioned Stephen Covey’s quote, “Begin with the end in mind.” I later though if this quote’s applicability to everything in life…even life itself.

For the last few years, I have been dealing with sorting through my parent’s and aunt’s estates. Not money or property, but their things. It is so difficult to just throw it all away or take it to Goodwill or Can Help. I feel I must go through it and hang on to things that are important.

Wait! Stop the insanity…won’t this just lead to me leaving things for my nephew to have to deal with? Maybe I should think of what I want to leave behind. Maybe I should be thinking of what I want my life to be like when I am 75 years of age. Memories are in my head, not in my mom’s glasses or my dad’s neckties.

Dr. Seuss wrote, “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” I want more moments and fewer things. I want a memory overflowing with fun and exciting adventures, not a closet overflowing with trinkets I bought on vacation.

I want to be 75 years of age and have the money I need to be secure, and a small comfortable home that I feel safe in. At some point, I want to be fully retired, not trying to earn enough money to eat or pay for my utilities.

What do you want for your 75 year old life? What can you (and me) do today to insure we get that life?

My parents raised me to work hard, and I am happy to do that. However, I have always hoped that the harder I work today, that I will get rest tomorrow (or when I am 75!). If I spend all I make, accumulate debt and create ongoing bills, aren’t I doing exactly the opposite of what I want?

Should we make a pact or have a challenge? Clutter control and financial control would be our goals. I totally feel that these two behaviors are linked. The more we buy, the more we have to spend to maintain the items we purchased, the more time it takes to maintain the items, the more space it takes to accommodate the items, the more we have to work to pay for the maintenance and space – it is a never ending cycle!

Let’s change our own world and maybe the rest of the world will come with us!

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