Life is all about choosing how to spend your time. Everyday when we wake up we assume that we will live throughout the day. We then extend this logic further and assume that we will continue to live "x" many years and therefore have a certain supply of time at our disposal. These assumptions are based on two obvious but often ignored flaws: a) with no certainty we can know the years or months at our disposal and b) we tend to ignore the transient nature of time at our disposal.
[blockquote source]So many of us spend a significant portion of our day doing a job that we hate. We rationalize that by earning the money from our job, we will enjoy the other parts of our life. In fact a recent study suggests that more than 70% of the people essentially will prefer to quit the job if they have an option.[/blockquote]
So many of us spend a significant portion of our day doing a job that we hate. We rationalize that by earning the money from our job, we will enjoy the other parts of our life. In fact a recent study suggests that more than 70% of the people essentially will prefer to quit the job if they have an option.
Why so? Why do we easily trade the most valuable resource (time) we have in exchange of things (money, title) that can easily be earned and replenished. Because, we are driven by two very primary instincts that have been part of the whole evolution process.
The first is an assurance of certainty. All our instincts are hungry for certainty. We hate events that break the status-quo. We are worried of changes that bring in unknown in our life. Our whole DNA is programmed to hang on to certainty at any costs.
The second is an assurance of societal acceptance. We are by nature social and like to be part of a system where we are accepted by others. Our society constantly reinforces to us that we need to live a life which is recognized by the society as "acceptable" And society usually accepts those who follow the known path. So while we are in awe of people who have broken the mold and have built something extraordinary, society does not want others to take the jump and follow that route.
However, the fact is that with significant transformation that is sweeping the world, there is hardly any path that is certain. Technology is breaking barriers, companies that are not more than five years old are challenging established decade-old companies and outsourcing and automation is becoming a norm in almost all areas of professional life. We now have companies that are challenging transportation, wealth management, healthcare, education and any other areas under the sun by reducing friction and automating the decision-making process.
So, what should you do?
Be ready for the unseen and uncertainty. Simplify your life and you will notice that a lot of things that you thought you could not live without are unnecessary. This will give you a significant freedom regarding the money you need to earn to pursue the things you always wanted to do.
Read a lot. The only way to connect the dots is to read and observe things that are beyond your area of expertise. That way your mind develops to be nimble and embrace the changes.
Diversify your income source. Start developing different income sources other than your paycheck. The less dependency you have on your paycheck, the more freedom you will have to choose how you want to spend your time.
So, to bring it all together, spend every moment the way you will like it to be spent because that is the only way to live a life that matters.
