My Concern for Youth
I am retired. So, I don’t have the same worries as a young person trying to decide how they will make a living and save and invest to get to where I am now, or even in a better position.
My concern is that the young have too many distractions for having fun today to pay attention to what they will do in the future. If you want to help them have a better future, you should put yourself in their shoes.
There is so much to benefit you by starting to consider early in your life for careers, lifestyle, where you might live, and how much income you will need to achieve your goals. The biggest decision, of course, will be how you want to live, that will determine how much you need to pay for it.
The good news is that with many years ahead of you, you have time to try and research many options for your future!
Options and Goals Require Some Thought
I know that you can fast track some of your research with the internet and the use of AI. However, a walk through the career section in the library might trigger some subjects to research.
Everyone needs goals for daily motivation. Some goals are simple, like working to be able to do 30 pushups. And, some are complex, like getting a degree to become a doctor.
And, while considering career options and setting goals, do look at the skills you can get schooled on, gain from experience, and develop on your own. Among the best to learn or develop are:
- Communication skills (Reading, writing, public speaking, listening).
- Management and organization skills.
- Time management skills.
- Money management and investing skills.
These may sound like grownup skills and considerations. However, an early start to address these considerations could prevent years of wandering in dead-end jobs in yourr 20s before settling on new goals that will take longer to achieve in your 30s and 40s.
Plan A and Plan B
The nice thing about making a list of goals is that they do not need limits. In fact, you could build more than one list of goals.
However, it is best to give your goals some form of value. A primary list may be beyond what you think might be possible. And it might be. But what if you underestimate your potential? I have seen many of my fellow students in my youth go on to do more than I thought they could do!
I refer to that primary list of goals as Plan A. Keep in mind that though some goals may require more skills or education or experience than you can readily achieve, that doesn’t mean that you should abandon those goals. I would advise you to consider them more long term than others.
That is why I suggest you build a Plan B list of goals. Make them more doable in the short term. In fact, they can include goals that can help prepare you to achieve goals on your Plan A list.
As I attempt to help you build a better mindset for money, I feel it is important for you not to set limits on your potential!
Therefore, setting goals is very important for you to allow your dreams to become part of your reality!
Prepare to Perform
Jobs require performance of duties. Careers require the accumulation and development of skills that help you grow in your ability to perform your duties and meet the growing challenges and changes in your line of work.
Therefore, with the advent of AI and other forms of technological advancement and the changing landscape of work and income potential, I suggest a mindset for continual learning will be essential.
That is a practice that you can develop in your youth before too many bad habits and attitudes evolve. Some habits are hard to change. However, with a focused effort, new habits can be formed to replace the bad habits.
Learn to read and listen. That sounds simple until you look at the facts. How many words per minute can you read? How is your retention of what you read? And do you know how to listen? These are skills that you can learn to improve!
Learning these skills, among others that relate to communication and understanding the world around you, will greatly improve your ability to reach your goals and improve your potential in many ways.
Prepare to perform and many will want to hire you!
Gain Experience to Improve
Having a job to get income is important. But that is not the end of your financial journey.
Experience and steps you take to learn all you can to improve will be key to having a successful working career.
Jim Rohn presented a simple question that you should ask yourself with each job you have. He said, “Don’t ask what I am making here, instead ask, what am I becoming here?”
Your guide for goals should be what can I become over time? What should I improve? What experiences will help?
Save a portion of every paycheck to build your resources to allow you the luxury of changing jobs as needed, without having to worry about how you will pay your bills.
Give yourself a chance to make changes and reach your goals!
Venture for Learning
Sometimes you may need to venture out of your comfort zone to learn new things and try new work experiences that can open new opportunities for you.
That can make learning an adventure with unknown trails and encounters with people that can help you learn even more than you thought possible.
Caution: Make sure they are honest people and you can verify facts and potential. Don’t allow yourself to be scammed! Too good to be true is often just that.
Turn Learning to Value
Reading and classes that relate to your goals will require discipline and scheduling your time, as well as self-motivation with regular review of your goals.
The value of learning can come from general knowledge that helps with daily living or specific learning that gets you another step closer to your goals.
Review your goals often to make sure that you are on the path that motivates you to do more. Sometimes your learning process will lead you in another direction you never considered before. Be prepared to make changes.
Do what you can to add to your value in the job marketplace!
Control Yourself
Don’t do stupid. Some bad habits can injure your potential or slow your progress.
Drinking can lead to DUIs. Smoking can lead to cancer. Overeating can limit your ability to move, add stress to joints, and limit your endurance.
There are other limiting habits that can damage your future, like gambling and drugs.
Control Yourself and how you spend your income. Take care of your family. Be responsible. Be respectful. Be concerned for the unfortunate.
There are too many good things that you can do in your life and with your resources that can make you happy. Why risk that with activities that have been proven to undermine your future?
Work on Your Future
Goals can help you control yourself, especially if you make many of them measurable goals.
There are too many people who want to undermine your future to help them attain their own view of wealth. They are being dishonest with you and themselves.
Learn to see who those people are. Ask two questions. What is the cost to benefit for me? What is the benefit to them?
Having goals will help with that awareness. Focus on what you need to do to achieve your goals. Define steps that you become aware of and do not shy away from the work or study that is required.
To avoid any work that is required to achieve your goals will only lead to work that has little required and little pay.
Your future needs your attention. Give it all it deserves!
Make Life an Adventure!
There is an old saying among retirees traveling in RVs, “All who wander are not lost!”
I have been among them. You can read a few of my blog posts about that at retiredtoRVliving.com.
My trip with an RV was by design. That was part of my Plan A to travel with an RV, which I had to purchase along with the truck to pull it!
How will you design your life? What will be your Plan A list of goals? How will you use your Plan B list of goals to help you along the way?
You have a chance to make your life an adventure!