Essentially, we all just want a fair chance to compete. We don’t need handouts, and we certainly don’t want to rely on our parents bank to support us as adults. True satisfaction comes from seeing what we can build through our own efforts.
Because honestly, having everything handed to you sounds like a slow death of the soul. agree?
In poker, if you have “chips and a chair,” you have a chance. That’s all any of us can ask for.
Family, Gratitude and an 80th Birthday Surprise
At 48, life feels a lot different than it did when I was 20. At the time, I was financially insecure and constantly competing with anyone and anything to succeed. Today, I’m more settled, but I also have more responsibilities—a wife, two kids, aging parents.
The pressure is still there, but the shape has changed. When your loved one depends on you, the focus becomes an unwavering commitment to managing your finances, educating your children, and making sure your spouse feels seen and respected.
During the week of Thanksgiving, most of us will reflect on the family and friends we are lucky enough to still have. I am no exception. Even though we had planned to go back to Honolulu in December to visit my parents for Christmas, I wanted to do a surprise trip in November for my dad’s 80th birthday.
His reaction, captured perfectly on video, is priceless. The entire week was something none of us will ever forget.
Of course, coming home wouldn’t be complete without some home improvement tasks. Being a dutiful son, my sister and I painted the front door with polyurethane. We also had our trusty handyman cut away the termite infested trim, install missing baseboards, patch some floor holes, and even install a bidet.
There’s always something that needs fixing at my parents’ house and I’m happy to help.
When does our enthusiasm fade?
During the visit, I started thinking: At what age do our mental abilities begin to decline? When did our drive for progress begin to dull?
This shift is happening everywhere, with older people living happily in homes that haven’t been touched in 50 years, while younger homeowners are renovating every 15 to 20 years. Older people wear clothes from decades ago, while young people are constantly trying to improve their appearance. Perhaps this reflects a deeper sense of contentment that comes with age.
I also wonder: When will young people’s desire to conquer the world begin to wane? Maybe only when you know you truly have enough. Or when your children no longer depend on you. Or when the flames of your early career slowly give way to contentment and peace because you really don’t care about status and titles anymore.
Thanks for still having the energy to compete and think
We take it for granted that our minds will always remain sharp. But eventually, they fade away—processing slows down, tolerance for change decreases, and our ways become rigid.
I think I’m at the beginning of a transformation. Maybe I have 2 to 10 years of high mental ability left. But I’m not entirely sure my enthusiasm will last. Posts like this –
– shows that I am giving of myself (hope you) allows to relax and enjoy life more. If you’ve crunched the numbers and realized you don’t have to work that hard, don’t work that hard. If you’ve met your goals so far, there’s no need to worry about not delivering every week.
But old habits die hard. I still want to help as many people as possible achieve financial freedom faster, because the ability to do what you want, when you want it, is priceless.
Competition is always fierce
As someone who doesn’t work for a company or have major platform support, the publishing world is very competitive. Sometimes I imagine how much easier it would be to spread my ideas if I worked for the New York Times or a money management firm that appeared regularly on television.
But then I remembered how gratifying it was to compete without any of that. Just me and my wife in the background helping share financial ideas with anyone who wants to read. That’s the beauty of the internet: anyone with enough motivation can write, record, or create for the world and compete.
Yes, “fire” makes you a bad entrepreneur because you’re not very motivated by money or growth. But focusing on what you love can also bring wonderful peace. For me, that’s writing. And I have to remind myself of this and not get caught up in the irrelevant entrepreneurial race. The most important thing is whether I am satisfied with my efforts.
artificial intelligence moment
In November 2022, artificial intelligence suddenly appeared with the launch of ChatGPT, and everything changed. Not only do I have to contend with algorithmic shifts from major platforms and Google, but now I also have to contend with tectonic shifts in how people search for information. Artificial intelligence is scraping publishers’ content and rebutting it without attribution.
It feels hopeless.
But I also benefit from artificial intelligence. It saved my dad and wife editing time, but it also cost me meaningful search traffic. This forced us to make a decision: slow down after 13.5 years of continuous writing…or keep moving forward.
Back in 2009, I committed to publishing at least three articles a week for ten years. I hit this milestone in 2019 and keep going like Forrest Gump.
So I did what any financial samurai would do: starting in 2023, I actively invested in AI companies, first public and then private. If AI is going to hurt my site, I think I should invest in Punisher. My only regret is not investing more.
But what makes me most happy is that since the rise of artificial intelligence at the end of 2022, I have not broken the record of three articles per week. I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing since 2009 for over three years. The reason is simple: writing gives me joy and purpose. I would do it even if there was no financial component.
able to appear every day
I’m grateful that I can still think, write, and create. Even after all these years, the dreaded writer’s block has yet to seep into my mind.
One day, my fingers may be stiff from arthritis, or my brain may not connect the dots fast enough to seize a buying opportunity. One day I might lose interest in making anything and just want to relax and watch TV.
That day has not come yet, but I know I need to make some changes because I screwed up.
This Thanksgiving morning, I started writing very late, starting at 7:45am instead of the usual 6am before my family got up. I started late because I was tired after a 6 hour adventure with the kids, teaching them tennis, swimming, taking them out to lunch, and a few car dealerships. My wife came over while I was writing that morning, and while I welcomed her, after about eight minutes I asked for some alone time to finish my article before heading out with the kids. She is not happy.
If I wasn’t so motivated, I would close my laptop and enjoy her company. literally It doesn’t matter Whether I’m writing this in the morning or after she goes to bed or even the next day. But once I get into that flow state, interruptions feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I recognize the need to recalibrate, and for the sake of our relationship, I will do so.
This Thanksgiving week, I’m grateful to be able to continue doing what I love and have the opportunity to continue to compete in the way that I still can. At the same time, I realized that if I wanted to be a better person, I needed to change my ways. These changes start now.
Readers, besides friends and family, what are you grateful for this Thanksgiving week?
Subscribe to Financial Samurai
Pick up a copy of the USA Today national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Easily Reach Seven Figures. I’ve combined over 30 years of financial experience to help you accumulate more wealth than 94% of people and get out of your shell faster.
Listen and subscribe to the Financial Samurai Podcast apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Thank you for sharing, rating and commenting.
To accelerate your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe Free Financial Samurai Newsletter. You can also have my posts sent to your email inbox as soon as they are published Register here. Everything is written based on first-hand experience and expertise.
