I have a constant struggle between now and the future. I tend to focus on whichever one is easiest to deal with at the moment and that is usually to my detriment.
For example right now I am constantly thinking about my hike that won’t start for two months. Instead of doing school work I am spending my time reading people’s trail journals and browsing trail forums. I still have a lot of work to do for school and I’m spending too much time thinking about my hike. In this case I’m living in the future and ignoring my now. Although I am ignoring the part of my future where I graduate.
Usually I think more about what is happening now and ignore my future. I know that eating fast food and drinking soda all the time is going to cause me health problems. I enjoy eating my fast food and drinking soda now though and any future health problems still seem remote. This is the same way I used to be about my savings. It was much easier to spend the money now than save it for some future time. Now that I do have some money saved though it is comforting to know it is there in case I need it.
I need to spend more time analyzing my motivations for my actions and come up with a better balance between what I do for now and what I do for the future.
I have just the opposite problem. I over plan. I plan to make plans. I think either way we go, we are never happy with ourselves. I can’t seem to let go enough to enjoy down time. We are both at different ends of the spectrum but I think its the same thing.We find a way to hold ourselves back. Maybe if you can find a way that works for you, give me a heads up and I’ll try the polar opposite. Good luck, I’m here for you!
PS did you notice the direct correlation between the amount of readers you have on feedburner and your online income. It’s almost the same. I’m sure you got this but it looks like $1 a person. Cool!
What an interesting post. I am a little bit of both. I find myself varying from now and the future, sometimes getting more excited about one or the other.
Love the blog, by the way.
I found you via Wisebread’s Top 100 Personal Finance Blogs. Congrats on making the list!
SonyaAnn- I have both problems. The correlation between my readers and online income is probably just coincidence. I actually make money from a few different sites and this one is not the biggest earner.
Trevor- Thanks, it is nice to see that making the list is bringing me some traffic.