September 19 2022 - Tests preceding your first check-up

At different points in your life, things simply need to get done.

At the earliest stages, things done are often involuntary for kids. 

(Diversion: Hence the importance of caring, attentive and loving parents... who are ready and willing to place the interests of kids beyond their own... or at least to recognise that the interests of the children ought not to be victim of their own unaddressed adult issues... Not a topic for today)

One of the involuntary things is regular check ups as to your health. This means tests. The first of which today was a blood test.

You didn't enjoy having your finger pricked and squeezed. We remained stoic beside you, and hopefully that'll be something that you'll pick up in time yourself.

Short term pain for long term gain is a theme in life actually. 

(Even in the short term there is relief following the end of a brief undesirable, but necessary, episode)

Back to the short term and long term thing...

The ability to forgo instant gratification is a huge asset for those who develop that muscle. I'll tell you about The Marshmallow Test another time; suffice to say that it is directly relevant.

When you grow up, you'll hear people talk about 'success'.

Keep in mind that there is no single definition of success,

Some will say money doesn't matter. That is not true. Some will say that money is all that matters. That is not true.

Money is a resource (or some say, a 'tool') . A resource that provides access to other resources. It is a resource that provides the ability to have some freedom of choice. 

Freedom of choice regarding how to engage your time. Freedom of choice regarding with whom. Freedom of choice regarding where and for who's benefit you will direct your life energy.

Having enough resources is necessary in order to provide the basics for oneself, for one's family and for the purposes of contributing to society (and that one can go from the micro of a village, to the macro of the world).

Regarding resources, always remember the resource builder cycle of: create, invest, grow. Then spend.

Avoid the low resource cycle of: create, spend, shrink.

As much as possible: Have your 'spend' come from the fruits of your 'invest'.