Ask HN: How to plan for a future when the advice is always to focus on the now?

    Qui-Gon: "Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs."
    Obi-Wan: "But Master Yoda said I should be mindful of the future."
    Qui-Gon: "But not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the living Force, young Padawan."

3 points | by Eridanus2 14 hours ago

5 comments

  • mikewarot 8 hours ago
    Keep your expenses less than your income, generating savings. Keep cash on hand, money in the bank, and invest the rest in a diversified manner.

    Today, this year, these are the good old days, if you write down a bit of what you're experiencing now, you might value it highly in the future.

    Don't over think it... go outside, get away from the screens for a bit, and enjoy the day, your youth, and the wonder of it all.

    • greenraven 4 hours ago
      Building a personal savings was a lot more effective 50 years ago, to the point it actually did something.

      With inflation where it is today - where a young person will pay $800/mo. making $75k/year for an apartment and $2800/mo. for the same exact place 10 years later with the same salary through turbulent hiring and layoff conditions - it makes saving an impossibly uphill climb.

      Simply, unless your savings is perfectly continuous and outpacing that incredible inflation you are not actually saving - only penny pinching and still ending up behind.

  • Byte-Naut 8 hours ago
    Then just don't plan for 'a' future—save things supporting you in facing 'any' future (Health, Funds, Core Skills that cannot be easily abandoned for AI or by the market, etc.).

    The core code is simple: discard those to be lost; chase those you do want, yet have not.

  • sloaken 11 hours ago
    I think your quotes are accurate in the intent you just need to re-read them.

    As a simple analogy: Do not focus on winning the lottery, when you cannot feed yourself today.

    Save for the future but you must not starve today.

  • ymc9 13 hours ago
    Isn't "plan for a future" a now activity?
  • greenraven 3 hours ago
    [dead]