It’s outside what you expect
The spaceship that I was driving must have been going a million miles per hour. At eight years old, I was enjoying the man in the moon while avoiding being seen by the Martians. It was a wonderful trip, and my box had once again made the exciting journey possible.
Only moments later, I was in another world of adventure and my cabin (box) was protecting me from all the wild animals and possible spies in the surrounding forest. I had food and supplies for several days and could survive the storms, which were brutal at times.
My box was my world of imagination and had no limits. It was exciting and always provided protection from the evil forces of the world.
So why does thinking “outside the box” become something that we are supposed to admire? Inside my box, I could go anywhere and do anything.
The truth is, as adults, most of us are living outside of the box, exposed to the evil empire and things beyond our control. As long as we have breath, having a box that provides safety and protection is always smart. A box that allows our imagination to dream and venture into the world, see beauty, hear beautiful music and the laughter of children, touch the warmth of a loved one, and enjoy the taste of a delicious meal and the smell of morning coffee.
Regardless of our age, we choose our boxes. Although it’s much more fun to play in our efficiently imaginary childhood boxes, we can still enjoy all of the perks offered by various new boxes.
How does a box relate to money matters? I talk about boxes all the time. We need a box for assets to deal with paying the bills and the unexpected and the things that satisfy the world above. We need a box that provides for needs that take place every few years like buying a car or replacing appliances and fixing up the home. We need a box that provides financial security for the rest of our lives.
Each of these boxes has a different strategy. The strategies involve multiple investment options and must take into account the impact of taxes and appropriate market risk for the time frame and proper choice of the funds.
Don’t expect your box to look like my box. What is inside your box should be directly related to the world that your life is traveling through. Speaking of travels, Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” Sometimes the answers are not easy, but they actually can be simple.
Many of us have (or had) boxes filled with goals that never left the floor. Our goals are only as good as our commitment to implementing the steps to accomplish them. We know that! So why is it so difficult? Why is our box not filled with the treasures that we dreamed about? Maybe the bigger question is why we do not seek the help of others to provide the guidance and support that is needed?
We might only have one life to live, but if our box falls apart, I have good news — we can get another box. We can map out a new plan to reach our destination. Get inside your box and dream for the best. Rely on the wisdom and experience of others to support your travels and beyond.
From my box,
Thomas H Herlong
~ Get inside your box and dream for the best
