Written by Today, we’ll be discussing the proverb, “If you close your eyes to facts, you will be learning through accidents”. Let’s start with the basics. Knowledge is knowing what to do. Understanding is knowing why you do it and wisdom is knowing how to do it. For instance, you may have heard the example, knowledge is knowing you need an axe to cut down a tree. That would make understanding knowing the direction the tree will fall and how you are going to remove the tree. The wisdom is knowing you need to sharpen the axe before cutting the tree down.
Design your life
In short, you realize there is a noticeable amount of planning that goes into doing something successfully. You will find most regrets in life are driven by a lack of planning and understanding. We go through life not appreciating the present opportunity. When the opportunity is gone, we are filled with regret knowing we can’t go back and relive those moments. As an entrepreneur and family man myself, I recognize the importance of making sure I allocate my time properly. I want to be there for my kids while they are growing up.
There is no guarantee I can rebuild a lost relationship later in life if I don’t put the work in now. That is why we make the plans now that ensure all of our goals are taken into consideration. The numbers show it is not what we buy for kids that they remember. It is how much of our time we are willing to give to them. We shouldn’t make plans where the sole focus is money at the expense of everything else. For what benefit is it to gain the whole world if it will cost you your soul? You don’t want to be too focused on the future at the cost of the present.
Everything has an order and a season
Before I get a bunch of emails telling me that is not what a financial planner is supposed to say, I get it. You are correct that you can’t spend your money like there is no tomorrow. We need to plan for the future and sometimes that means forgoing some of the joys of instant gratification. What I’m saying is everything has a place. Everything has an order and a season. You can’t skip the work of spring and go straight to summer, because that is going to create a dark winter. You need to plant your financial seeds in the spring to ensure you survive the winters.
When you close your eyes to facts
When you close your eyes to facts, it means you ignore the facts and patterns of our universe. You have an opportunity to learn through your own mistakes or the mistakes of others. The lessons are there. The same holds true with patterns of success. You can learn to create success through your own life lessons or you can learn from the successes of others. When facts become the fundamentals of your decision making process, you are going to like your results.
Think back to the first example I gave you of cutting down a tree. You could attempt to cut down a tree without building your understanding or wisdom. You have the knowledge that it takes something sharp to cut down a tree. However, if the tree falls on your house, you will have a level of understanding that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Consistency is the name of the game
It’s your choice. Do you want to learn through accidents because you close your eyes to facts? Or do you want to learn through the facts and routines of other people’s experiences? People often overlook the consistency in the design of our universe. The science is so sound we can tell you exactly where a space shuttle should land when returning from the space station. They can calculate the landing based on the wind, weight, speed and resistance. It is truly a wonder when you think about it.
The same facts hold true when we are talking about your finances. We can determine the amount of money you’ll need to retire based on the lifestyle you want to have. You can determine the average return from investing in the stock market vs. real estate vs. your business. Based on your expected return, we can determine how long you need to invest in your adventures.
Whether you are modeling Warren Buffet’s approach in the stock market or your favorite HGTV show to flip a house. There are facts and experiences you can learn from so you don’t have to experience the same failures. Otherwise, you will be learning through the accidents created by your own lack of understanding and wisdom. We don’t need to go through life trying to reinvent the wheel.
Lessons from keeping your eyes open
There are stories about Walmart and McDonalds spending millions of dollars to determine the best location for their next building. If you knew those facts, what could you do with your business? You could simply open across the street from Walmart and McDonalds. Then you can benefit from their facts without having to live through your own accidents. And that is what many businesses do. If you have ever wondered why it seemed Target or Burger King were always across the street, could it be they were benefiting from the facts?
Final thoughts
Remember to go much deeper than knowledge. It is the understanding and the wisdom that ensure your success. By taking the time to better understand the facts, you can ensure your success. If you don’t put a plan in place, you will soon find yourself back at the drawing board. Accidents are the unintentional consequences of our actions. Sometimes, accidents can be avoided and other times accidents are just the risk of playing the game. Get the most out of your life by understanding the rules, patterns, and routines of success… and then build the discipline to follow them.
References:
Federal Aviation Administration: Returning from Space: Re-entry
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