As part of the decluttering process I’ve been finding a lot of paperwork from 20-30 years ago. Most of it lost its importance (if it ever had any) many years ago and has gone either into the bin or into the shredder.
Last night, this included a motivational document I wrote over 25 years ago (while I was still working for someone else). It’s similar to things that I do now, apart from the fact that I no longer appear so convincing.
It set out, in great detail, the number of days I had left before the age of 55 (possible early retirement date), 60 (my realistic early retirement date – remember that Julia’s retirement date was 60 in those days, before they changed the system) and 65, which used to be the statutory retirement date before the government stole two years from my life by changing the default retirement age.
It even had financial targets.
And a note not to waste any of those days.
If I didn’t know how the story ends, I’d thing that the neatly written, well-planned document, marked the beginning of a long and prosperous life for a man who knew what he was doing and became a successful mover and shaker.
Instead, he became me.
Fortunately I’m big-headed enough to believe that being me is reward enough in this life.
I’m happy to say that I’ve lived up to the standards I set myself, even if I did have to lower those standards on a regular basis.
I’ve also reset those standards to include things like children, who are a constant drain on both your hopes and dreams, your fridge and your bank balance.
It’s not that bad, despite my jaundiced tone, just a bit of a shock to see an unexpected glance of myself at the age of 35.
Bittersweet! And I bet you never expected to be blogging and making friends around the world. 😉
No, I thought I was going to write crime novels and pay a secretary to make friends for me, 🙂
Still time to write that crime novel.
A lot less time than there used to be… 🙂
Nevertheless. I had a friend who published her first mystery when she was 82 or 83. So…
I know – no excuses…
At least age should not hold you back.
I feel about 90 at the moment. 🙂
🙁
Finding things like that is always so interesting. Sometimes you recognize the person; sometimes not. I’m in the midst of doing all sorts of things in preparation for retirement in a couple years (more like a year and a half) and never had a plan like that! But I am thinking of plans now–of things to do once retirement opens its doors!
How far-sighted you were
Far-sighted but lazy. 🙂
I was shocked to learn recently that we are supposed to fail 50% of the time. If we accomplish 100% of our goals, we aren’t dreaming big enough. Here all this time I thought we were supposed to work on 100%. Now I don’t feel so lazy. Being thankful for our accomplishments is indeed important. Looking at old photographs is sometimes a bit of a shock. I recently ran across a photo of my ex and I from 1987. GEEZ!
Time has a few tricks up its sleeve! I once planned the club management side of a rugby season – first aid courses, coach education, safeguarding etc. Took me two weeks to complete the plan. Managed to complete about 85% of it. Nearly killed me and I could never face doing it again. 🙂
The great thing is to be alive to read it regardless of the dashed hopes and dreams which have transmuted to a satisfactory reality.
That is true. I must be grateful for many things – there were many things that could have gone worse.
Old letters and documents written by oneself can be quite interesting to read!
🙂 It was a bit of a wake-up call!