American business tycoon, philanthropist and billionaire Warren Buffett almost regularly visits some notable educational institutions every year to share his experiences with young students. One of the famous anecdotes he mentions to his audience is the story of the car and the genie.
He tells his audience, animatedly, that suppose a genie appears to him at that tender age and grants him a wish. The genie tells him that he would magically bring him the car of his choice – brand new and all his. However, there remains a small catch. The genie says that this would be the one and only car in his entire life. Therefore, it is only plausible that one would give their all in nurturing the only car they can ever own in their lifetime.
Only Car In Your Life
Buffet tells his mesmerised young audience that he would always keep the said car garaged and would read the manual at least five times to know how the parts work. If there is the slightest little dent on the car, he would fix that right away as he would not want that to rust.
According to this inspirational man, that is exactly the position we are in, in terms of our mind and body. We only get one mind and one body, which we must nurture for the rest of our lives. If we do not take care of our mind and body, they are going to turn mushy 40 years later, just like a car would.
Hence, we can see that the same applies to your own mind and body. You only have one and you will need it to last long enough. If you have foresight and willingness, you will do what it takes to take good care of your mind and body. Our lives are short and we only get one chance at it.
Once In A Lifetime!
Making life worth living is one of our primary goals as human beings, and here comes the importance of making the right decision. Life, as we know it, happens to be a series of choices – be it right or wrong. The simple ‘cause and effect’ rule applies here. Whatever we do has a direct effect on what is to become of us in future.
Steve Jobs has appropriately said, “Stay hungry, stay foolish”. It might sound rather harsh at first glance, but it is indeed true that our life is made up of choices. The leading cause of poverty happens to lie in poor choices.
An example of that can be the fact that some people choose to spend all their bonus pay-out rather than saving or investing it. Only your foresight and decision making can save you from going bankrupt in this situation. Inactivity is often attributed to lack of success, and indeed, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. To succeed financially, one needs foresight, a good look at all the factors at play and most importantly, make the right choice.
Steering Wheel Of Your Life
The steering wheel of your life is in your hands, and hence the choices you make shape your destiny. Rich people, for instance, consciously learn about how to be more productive, more efficient, become better leading figures, better managers and better investors. Great power does lead to greater responsibilities, and one must constantly better themselves at managing those additional powers and resources. The secret of success lies in continuous practice and the determination to exceed yourself, testing your limits in all situations.
Your Position Now Is Due To Past Choices
The fact also remains that you are exactly at the position in life where you have chosen to be. If you look at yourself today, you might want to ask – what were the choices that led you here? What are the choices you have made that have brought you to this position? Some also want to reflect on past mistakes, and what you could have done right. The most important thing here is to be able to learn from your mistakes instead of over-thinking or obsessing over those wrong decisions in your life. Wrong decisions can happen to the most careful of people, yet it is always important to contemplate before deciding what to do next.
Make Smart Choices
It is evident that choice is the most powerful control you have in your life. A single wrong choice can have serious, unforeseen repercussions in your life. These unintended mess can be very difficult to override, and you might have to do a lot of clean up for years to come. To prevent this, there is really no alternative to good choices and good judgments. The successful, the rich and the famous have reached their position by dint of sheer hard work- not just merit or luck. It is also important to work ‘smart’ rather than work hard, and it is crucial to seize opportunities when the timing is most favourable. Learning to make smart choices will get you better results in life.
It is important to acknowledge that you have only one lifetime, one mind and one body. Hence you need to be able to decide what choices are good for you, and which of those are going to potentially harm you. Self-love here is the key to making the best decisions for yourself, while not completely obliterating your loved ones, friends, and family.
One’s choices come with consequences – they lead and project one’s future. We also need to believe in ourselves and give reason a chance to make the viable choice. Often in life, we arrive at the crossroads of destiny where one choice looks better than the other- but only on the surface. Considering all factors behind an opportunity can help you make an easier choice between options. To succeed in life, you do not need a fortune teller. All you must do is make the right choices.
About the Author:
KCLau is a financial educator. He had published 6 books and co-created a dozen online financial courses. You can download his popular Money Tips e-book packed with 44 money hacks absolutely free, here: http://kclau.com/lp
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