By Now I Thought I Would Have…

It’s a stunning Saturday afternoon and you’re out at lunch with an old friend you haven’t seen in years.

Everything is going along nice and peachy until she starts talking about her retirement, which is at least ten years away.

The timing is perfect because only a few nights ago, you and your partner were discussing your retirement. In particular, how much you think you’ll need to retire on and if you’ll have enough. So, you’re super keen to hear what she has to say.

And she can’t wait to tell you either!

As proud as a peacock, she begins telling you how she and her husband went to a property seminar five years ago and how awesome it was. In particular, she makes special mention of how the ‘property guru’ said they need at least $1,000,000 in savings for a comfortable retirement.

Full of enthusiasm, she starts telling you how they bought an investment property inside their self-managed super fund plus a few more properties in some fancy pants, family trust.

They also bought a property for their two kids to help give them a head start later on because there’s no way they’ll be able to crack the property market on their own.

Unfortunately, the rest of the lunch is just a blur because you can’t concentrate. All you can think about is how far behind you are (supposedly) and how you wished you started sooner.

But you’re not done yet.

By the time you get back to the car, the critic within has cranked the volume right up and before you know it, you’re stuck in…

“Gee by now I thought I would…”

Which usually begins with…“Gee by now I thought I’d have the mortgage paid off”.

And as much as you don’t like the way it makes you feel, you continue making the list even longer because it seems like such a good idea!

And away you go…

“Gee by now I thought I would….”
• Have more money in super
• Own at least three investment properties
• Be spending more time with my family
• Started a new relationship…or finished an existing one!
• Have my own business, whatever.

And then you make the worst mistake of all. You look around and start comparing your worst with other people’s best.

But you don’t tell anyone because you assume everyone else has their stuff sorted but you.

After all, no one else would be feeling like you, would they?

Don’t bet on it.

Welcome to Club Normal!

If you wished you started sooner or made some better decisions, I can assure you, you’re not alone. Just about everyone I know who’s serious about getting ahead felt they could have done more, better or both.

And its not just about the bucks either. Its about whatever you value most…family, health, relationships, career, community, whatever.

Oh, and about that person who continually bangs on about how great one aspect of their life is, such as their money, I’ll guarantee you there’s another part of their life they hope like hell you never find out about, such as their unhappy marriage, kids or something else.

And here’s something else they probably won’t tell you. You have something they wish they had.

Gee by now is normal, especially this time of year.

Have a great weekend!

Adam

Back paddock – if you don’t have what you want, be grateful for the things you don’t have that you didn’t want.