Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart: Thirty True Things You Need to Know Now

by Gordon Livingston

Happiness is not simply the absence of despair.

Most of the heartbreak that life contains is a result of ignoring the reality that past behavior is the most reliable predictor of future behavior.

This question, “What do I owe my parents?” frequently distorts people’s lives well into, and sometimes throughout, adulthood. In fact, our children owe us nothing. It was our decision to bring them into the world. If we loved them and provided for their needs it was our task as parents, not some selfless act.

Most people know what is good for them, know what will make them feel better: exercise, hobbies, time with those they care about. They do not avoid these things because of ignorance of their value, but because they are no longer “motivated” to do them. They are waiting until they feel better. Frequently, it’s a long wait.

To take the risks necessary to achieve this goal is an act of courage. To refuse to take them, to protect our hearts against all loss, is an act of despair.

Keeping our expectations low protects us from disappointment.

“Anyone who thinks that money can’t buy happiness is shopping in the wrong places.”

One reason for our fear of aging is that those who have gone before us have, in general, set a poor example.

One of the common fantasies entertained by those seeking change in their lives is that it can be rapidly achieved.