“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”  ~ Gandhi

My generation, the boomers, were the last to benefit from a unique situation. I had classmates that graduated high school, went to work on the assembly line, and made a very good living. Our parents were products of the depression and the baseline of expectations was much lower than today. It was easier to prosper for my generation than what millennials or Gen X’ers will find today. I know numerous boomers with simple high school educations that have farms, live in 3500 square feet houses, and drive nice vehicles. You may have even grown up in this environment, but now find you’re unable to enjoy that same standard for both you and your children. 

The playing field and many of the rules have changed. That dog no longer hunts, as the old saying goes. It’s now a global playing field. We’re now competing against people in other countries that frequently have little or no safety net. If given a chance, they are focused and driven to improve their life. No entitlement mentality here, rather, it’s thrive or die.

As mentioned above, the baseline expectations have dramatically changed. After graduating college, my first home was an older 960 square foot two bedroom with one television and furniture found at garage sales. No cable, computer, internet, exotic travel and the list goes on. This was basically the norm as you started adult life. We simply started small and kept stair-stepping up, improving our lives. Compare that to the expectations of today.

Starting out adult life with 2500 to 3000 square foot homes, new cars, new furniture, multiple computers, cell phones, and the internet are the expected norm. This translates into wages being squeezed lower while costs to support the new normal standard of living continue to increase. 

The result after several years and a few kids is exhaustion and hopelessness. If this wasn’t challenging enough, there’s yet another norm. Many employers expect around the clock service these days. It doesn’t matter if it’s the weekend, an evening, if you’re ill or on a vacation. E-mail better be answered, phone calls returned, and customers serviced. 

It wasn’t always this way, but ignore it now at your own peril. Playing this game without thoughtful examination of the rules simply sets you up for unhappiness and failure. Understanding the rules and making a good plan can reduce the length of time trapped in the quicksand created by others.

This is your life we’re talking about. All of this is not to say it’s hopeless but rather even more important to understand the philosophies and strategies for getting a life. That’s what this blog is all about, and that’s why this content is important to your future. I believe you’ll find many tools to significantly improve your life. Sometimes, even a handful of changes can yield dramatic results. The stage is now set, so let’s dig in! 

“I will prepare and someday my chance will come.”  ~ Abraham Lincoln