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Tearing down successful people by insisting that their choices and effort had nothing to do with their success (and, by implication, that they did not deserve what they have) does nothing to change their success or current financial security. It will not magically change their circumstances. It's just annoying.
Please go back and read my post. I'll make it easy for you....
Quote:
Of course we all make choices and our choices certainly have a significant impact on our future. No doubt.
But anyone who truly believes where they are is 100% based on their own hard work and good choices is fooling themselves and, to some extent, arrogant.
We have all experienced both good and bad "fortune" (or luck) and where we are in life has certainly been impacted by things beyond our control. We (or someone close to us) may have suffered ill health. Mention has been made of a spouses cancer treatment. Not everyone survives - so, to some extent, there was some good fortune involved. Some have mentioned college - perhaps their "good fortune" was being brought up in a family that valued education - not every family does. Some people have children - and some are unable, or have children who, by no fault of their own, are born with expensive needs that are not always covered by insurance (or were not at the time - remember it's only been recently that pre-existing conditions had to be covered). Some people have been "fortunate" that their companies were honest and stayed in business allowing them a solid and consistent career.
There are many, many things that can impact one's finances. Most are our own habits and choices but for anyone to think that they are so special, to have not benefited from any luck or good fortune along the way....SMH.
I didn't tear anyone down and clearly stated that financial success is mostly the result of our own choices.
Do you think luck -- both good luck & bad luck -- is uniformly distributed across the population (that is, it is random & everyone gets about the same amount)? Or do you think it is normally distributed (like the "Bell Curve) and there are some extraordinarily lucky people, and some extraordinarily unlucky people, with most of us in the middle?
I honestly don't spend a ton of time pondering luck or good fortune. But I do know a few people who have had extraordinary circumstances - both good and bad. Who survives cancer despite treatment is not a result of hard work. A family who may lose a family member may certainly be impacted financially as a result - even with life insurance.
Now it seems that the choices one makes are determined by luck. Those who are motivated and willing to work and to sacrifice to attain goals were just lucky to have parents that taught them that perspective. Yup, we have no free will and just are stuck in fatalism.
Now it seems that the choices one makes are determined by luck. Those who are motivated and willing to work and to sacrifice to attain goals were just lucky to have parents that taught them that perspective. Yup, we have no free will and just are stuck in fatalism.
Where are you getting this?
Really. Where? Show me any post on here that says that.
Life is not always pass/fail black and white - hard workers who make the right choices always have financial success and everyone else must be a lazy, poor decision maker?
All the Retirement Planning Tools say that I should feel confident about our financial future. I don't, 30 years of unknowns loom ahead.
It was only through decades of planning, saving, and sacrifice that we got to where we are today so I shouldn't feel guilty. I do feel guilty, too many other family members will be destitute paupers in retirement.
Feeling guilt implies that you've done something wrong for which you should feel remorse. Perhaps the feeling could more accurately be described as sympathy, a feeling of care and concern for someone, often someone close, accompanied by a wish to see him better off or happier.
We don’t even know how much income or wealth people do or don’t have. The people feeling comfortable may have less than those who don’t. Much of financial security in retirement is how we feel about ourselves. There are many retired on 50k a year who do and many on 100k who don’t. Much of it can be location given.
How many of you personally feel good about your finances?
How many of you don’t?
Really. Where? Show me any post on here that says that.
Life is not always pass/fail black and white - hard workers who make the right choices always have financial success and everyone else must be a lazy, poor decision maker?
We all encounter issues in life and, yes, some have more problems than others. My point is that some drift asea and others plan, work and sacrifice. Those with that attitude tend to find better "luck" in the future partly because they are prepared to handle life's setbacks. You seem to think that sort of attitude is a matter of good luck. Your words on the subject were: "But some of us were "fortunate" to have been raised with that attitude."
We all encounter issues in life and, yes, some have more problems than others. My point is that some drift asea and others plan, work and sacrifice. Those with that attitude tend to find better "luck" in the future partly because they are prepared to handle life's setbacks. You seem to think that sort of attitude is a matter of good luck. Your words on the subject were: "But some of us were "fortunate" to have been raised with that attitude."
Certainly it is easier to have that attitude if you are raised with it - that is simply good fortune as none of us chose our parents. Growing up watching our parents make choices and how it affects them is powerful. Some people achieve it by themselves despite their upbringing (hard work) and some never do. Either way, that outlook on life helps immensely.
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