When first seeing my book, most people ask,
The Net Present Value of Life? What does that mean, anyway?
With no lengthy preamble, no rambling introduction, here are a few definitions.
The Net Present Value of Life means…
- Today—this moment—is more valuable than anything else you possess;
- The future—tomorrow—is tenuous and uncertain;
- The value of life, today, is therefore greater than the uncertain value of life in the future;
- Life is supposed to be lived, cherished and enjoyed today; right now. Not at some uncertain, hazy date in the future;
- There is no better way to enjoy life than to do something that has meaning and purpose;
- Consumerism and consumption are not proof of an enjoyable life. They are substitutes for an enjoyable life
- To work for decades at uninspiring jobs (in the hope of, one day, having a happy retirement) is a notion both outdated and uninspiring;
- There are, simply, too many myths about retirement;
- The courage to walk away from an empty, unfulfilling career and make the leap to a meaningful life is more rewarding than it is rare;
- It is both surprising and inspiring to realize how few material possessions you need when living a meaningful life;
- There is no better career choice than the pursuit and attainment of passion and purpose;
- To live a life not dictated by society, by the experts, by the boss, by the neighbours or, even, by public opinion is less difficult than imagined;
- There is satisfaction derived from remembering that you’re in charge of your life, that you’re the one firmly planted in the driver’s seat;
- There is only one meaningful drumbeat to march to, and that is the one you create;
- Caring and careful counsel provided by loved ones should never be confused with the warnings and reprimands of doubting naysayers;
- The one scarce, valuable (and non-renewable) resource is time;
- There are but a few ingredients to a happy life. They include; health, relationships, love, purpose, passion, inspiration, determination, honesty, laughter, potential, and possibility;
- Money is just another of life’s ingredients, and it’s one that cannot buy any of the ingredients listed above;
- There is as much illusion to money as there is value;
- Material possessions will never result in true happiness. Making the leap to your own version of success will;
- And finally, The Net Present Value of Life means to live fully every day, to turn work into play, and to never, ever stop pursuing your passion.
Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Please leave a comment.
