Have you ever been on a trip where you decided not to do something only to regret it for years afterwards?
I was talking to a friend last week who had just come back from a trip to the Northern Territory, followed by a journey to Adelaide on the Ghan.
He was telling me how much he and his wife had enjoyed it, but not very far into the conversation mentioned that they could have taken a scenic flight over Kakadu and Katherine Gorge but had opted not to. He said he thought the price was a bit high when he was told about it, but afterward regretted not having gone.
Even though they really enjoyed the trip and there were plenty of other highlights, not having gone on the flight irritated him – and he couldn’t put it behind him. It was one of those unplanned opportunities that they hadn’t budgeted for, and it was the sticker shock that ultimately made the decision for them. While it might have been the right decision at the time from a financial point of view, it certainly wasn’t from a life value.
The problem now though is that he is sitting back at home thinking about it, and he knows it would have been affordable if he traded off something else in return.
Apart from a small segment of the population there will always be things that are unaffordable – either on their own or in conjunction with all the other things you would like to be able to do. If you have clarity around what is really important though, what you really want to be able to do, it will simplify your decisions for you. It will effectively eliminate items on the periphery if that means you can afford something that is important.
Mapping out what is really important to you is the first step in ensuring you live a life without regrets, and ensuring you Don’t Die Wondering.
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