A Lesson From the Road

Written Day 5 of my trip with the Scouts

We’ve probably put 1,750 miles on the bus already- 1,400 the first two days.  Like any big goal or adventure, it took a lot of planning and preparation to make it happen.  It’s like cooking a good meal.  It’s work but hopefully there’s pleasure and enjoyment in the preparation- and even more once it’s time to eat.           

There are a lot of similarities in life and finances.  It takes a while to figure out where you want to go.  There are lots of options- and changing your mind is always one of them. Once the goal is set, the preparation begins.  Where do you need to be, what do you need to know, and how much money do your need (or don’t you)?  You may even need a team to help (we rely a lot on our local mechanic/troop member to make sure the bus will get us where we need to be, the treasurer to make sure the money is available, etc.).  But ultimately, it’s you who makes it work or not.

Our preparation was both physical and mental.  It involving doing hikes, learning to put up with people in close quarters for a relatively long period of time, and understanding it will sometimes be difficult, maybe even painful- but if the goal is good it’ll be worth it.  Identifying a life that would be exciting and fulfilling, but not doing the preparation can be sad.  For us, if you aren’t in good enough shape, you miss out on opportunities.  If you can’t interact with people, it’ll be harder than necessary.

If you’re planning for a career, a family, financial freedom or retirement, there are going to be good times as well as bad.  Do your preparation.  Set your goals, make your plans, assemble your team and save what you need.  You can try shortcuts and waiting until later, but ultimately there’s a day of reckoning- whether it is physical or financial.

Let’s just call this a lesson from the road.