Be Careful for What You Wish For: Life Gives You What You Want Not What You Need

It’s so ironic that as I am close to crossing the age of 50, it seems like I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever dreamed of. An interesting career, some financial success and freedom. A life jet-setting across the world investing and speaking at conferences. On the personal goals side I’m also eating well and buying, collecting & reading so many books. It’s like I manifested my childhood dreams. 

But as people who know me well, I really valued and still really value family and home life. It was my refuge and source of stability as well as joy & happiness in a cold world of competition out there. As a Taurus I really value stability. 

Sadly my family life has been a disaster zone because of neglect. I took it for granted. And you only realize it after you lose it. You hear the stories about other people but you never think it will happen to you. Humans only learn the hard way as always. 

It’s really easy to optimize career and money. The metrics and scorecard are so much easier to track. It’s tangible in the short term. 

Family and relationships on the other hand, tends to be intangible. And you usually don’t see the results for a long time. Just like building businesses and venture investing which you would think I would have clued in on this earlier. And like credit card debt, it compounds and you eventually will have to pay it. 

I’m paying this price now. The price is expensive therapy costs for myself and family. The price is quiet lonely days on big holidays by myself when I should be celebrating with family. That and plenty of emotional pain that clouds all the other aspects of your life. Honestly, it sucks because there is no clear or obvious path to fixing it. And I only have myself to blame. I have alluded to this in the past few years. 

So don’t make the same mistake I did. It’s a constant issue for ambitious type-A individuals; this is the trap. Work hard on your career and business, this is important. But also be equally thoughtful, dedicated & purposeful with your family and home life as well. You will pay for it eventually. And you don’t want this. Trust me on that.