How much should we care about our futures?

I think it is important that we think about our futures.

How far into the future are we talking here? That’s important to decide before you figure out what is and isn’t important.

Also, what kind of future? Career future? Education? Relationships? Family?

I think we need some more information to answer your question properly.

Enough in order to be motivated to want to achieve things, but not too much that it stops you achieving goals in the here and now. Don’t plan too hard because it will just lead you to be disappointed when you don’t end up living out that picture perfect life.

Are you talking about whether you can get to the bathroom, or whether you can get you kids to school.
I think it is neither, focus on the present moment and you will be just fine.
It ain’t easy-try it, and if you succeed you wont be worried about the future.

@Seelix I mean all of those things and more.

@Garebo I don’t think I thought that far into it (the bathroom part), but that matters as well.

Look around you. See what sorts of people there are, then choose one sort that you would like to be. Talk to those people at every opportunity and find out how they got to where they are. Then decide how long you want to take to get to that place. Set a series of goals, working backward, until it’s to the point that when you wake up every morning, you know what you have to do THAT DAY to work toward your goals. This almost always works if you truly apply yourself to it. This is because so few people feel strongly enough about their own futures to invest the time and effort to get to where they would like to be.

I remember back several years ago, when I was given police trainees their six month trial period out in the patrol car with me. We had some of the most interesting conversations. They naturally wanted to know what to expect as a full, 100% police officer. We would discuss every topic under the sun. One of the most interesting topics each would bring forth was their future, not only from an officers standpoint, but also about police benefits. All the trainees wanted everything I had today and not tomorrow. I enjoyed advising them that they had to earn their place in the department, that it was not given to them automatically,

This is how I understand your question,

These trainees did not care about tomorrow and their status in their life. All they cared about was what the department could do for them today. Most of them understood that you had to plan today for tomorrow and their future. Like financially preparing for the day they too would retire. This included their pension as well as health and life insurance.

And, this is what I am going to relay to you. You might not feel like you will have a future tomorrow, but you will and it will arrive sooner than you might expect.

Our economy is really screwed up at the moment. This does not mean it will be this way forever and you need to make plans now for your future and your family.

You will be glad you did this. jp

How much should we care about our futures?

Hopefully a lot.. =/

Anonymousgirl….......you are welcome.

^^ :)

For the people who don’t understand, that’s in response to a message.

Sometimes I care a lot… sometime I don’t….

But not because I want to be a bum and do nothing with my life. I really think I live presently most of the time. I don’t worry too much about adult things like… saving for a house, college, or stuff like that…. but the older I get the more I realize I want to be secure and have something to fall back on….

I think right now is the most beautiful thing we have…...

Each day I try to make a goal, no matter how small it is…. I think to me, worrying/focusing on the future means just saving….. I do want a house someday, so that is what my future holds.

I definitely want to be married and have kids in the future too, and travel more….

I really like CaptainHarveys answer.

I live in Hollywood, California so I see a lot of older adults, and senior citizens who are not in the best circumstance…. I’m not judging them and realize bad luck can happen to anybody, but when I see 40 plus year old guys out on the street at night, homeless, I don’t want to be like that…. So I want a good future… saving money, having something to fall back on, taking care of my health… making sure I make wise decisions, and have positive people in my life…

I think it’s good to keep the future in mind but being caught up in the future is just as bad as being caught up in the now or the past.

We need to focus most on living our lives in the present, but we need to steer for the future we want. So, if we want a certain career goal, we have to get the education and experience to attain it.

@partyrock

Thank you! : ))

@CaptainHarley – You are welcome!

“How much should we care about our futures?”

A hella more than we should care about our pasts.

I think you should care realistically. And that depends upon how old you are now. Whether you like our society as it is or not is unimportant, the bottom line is, you will probably spend you life in it, so you better learn how to survive. Money is a necessary element so find a way to make enough of it that you can eat and live in the manner you consider acceptable. People say find a way to make a living that you love, I don’t think many actually achieve that and to pursue it relentlessly is futile and frustrating, instead find a way you don’t hate and work to live. (as opposed to live to work). Save for your old age, many of the young resent the fact that you can collect social security, they think instead that the money collected from your labor should go to them to pay for a free college education, etc. so ss may not be around long enough for you to collect what you have paid. A little bit each week in an untouchable savings account will grow quite nicely over 40 years. Most important though is to live each day as if it is your last, have fun but be smart too.

There that should settle it once and for all!!! ;-)