The other day, I came across [Professional] My Wife and I: Living as Craftspeople | One of Today’s Greatest Lathe Craftspeople on YouTube and found myself watching intently.
Separate from that video, I started thinking…
Haven’t you noticed that we rarely hear clear, concrete, and genuinely helpful real-world experiences or stories about retirement?
Instead, we get rough figures like “You’ll be in poverty without this much savings,” and so on.
I wonder about that.
Of course, life is case-by-case, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for everyone.
But what I want to avoid is regret—that feeling of “Oh, I wish I’d done that back then.”
Preparation is important. But
when that preparation takes up too much of our focus, it feels like we’re sacrificing something. Balance is always key.
Are we really living our daily lives for a retirement that might never come?
Some people point to Japan’s average life expectancy.
But if you think about how that average is calculated and consider your own health, then seize the moment while you can move, while you can enjoy—I believe life becomes richer.
In a sense, money is just something you can earn.
But time that’s passed and good health never come back.
“Oh, I wish I’d done that sooner.”
A life with fewer regrets is a joyful one, I think.
Lately, with COVID, I’ve been thinking I should have traveled overseas more…
Will I ever see the Sagrada Familia in person again?
So,
One of our GSX-R750J customers, in their thirties,
quit their job and set out on a motorcycle tour around Japan! They did it on mostly back roads on a shoestring budget.
When I heard that, I was blown away. Youth is amazing…
The experience you can’t buy with money, felt at just the right time.
Since COVID spread, I really think you should do things that can only be done now, right now.
As we age and time passes, we tend to judge things more efficiently by weighing pros and cons.
Without having experienced something, our minds create a pseudo-experience that keeps us from taking that first step.
I don’t like to think about it, but there’s a real possibility that COVID could mutate into something more lethal, or some unforeseen natural disaster could strike, or oil could run out.
Conversely, if you think “How many more years will I ride this bike?” you might decide sooner on touring, maintenance, and customization plans (*’ω’*)
Die with Zero: The Ultimate Rule to Make Your Life Richer
I always think you shouldn’t swallow everything whole.
