There’s one constant: things rarely go as planned
If there’s one constant in life, it’s that things rarely go as planned. Take our current economy, for example. I can pretty much guarantee that no one planned on things being in the state they are currently in.
But things going awry (or just differently) happens on a personal level too. For example, how many of us are doing exactly what we thought we’d be doing “when we grew up”? I know I’m not — my current job wasn’t even in existence when I was in high school.
While it’s good to have goals, plans and expectations, it’s even more important to have contingency plans, especially when it comes to finances. What happens if you lose your job and can’t find work? What happens if you become ill and unable to work? What happens if you need to care for a sick family member? What if the house burns down or is swept away in a flood? What happens if the AC or heat goes out?
No one wants to think of those kinds of things, but they happen on a regular basis to large numbers of people. They’re excellent arguments for large emergency funds, good insurance, keeping skills up to date, and always being on the lookout for new opportunities.
Don’t go through life hoping that things will be ok. Do everything in your power to plan for the unexpected, so that you can REALLY enjoy things if the unexpected doesn’t come to pass, and so that you’ll know you’ll be ok if it does.
Sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned for. You always need to be prepared however, even if you don’t know what you are preparing for. Always look for the positive angle and just enjoy things.
The only thing you can really plan for in life is ‘change’.
The most successful people are those that easily handle the unexpected with grace and dignity.