This is mainly for any younger readers out there (although I hope all can get something from it).

I believe YOLO (“You Only Live Once” for you old people) is still a saying.
So… my question is – how are you living? Specifically, how are you living with regard to your future self.
Since YOLO, are you living such that when you are on your death bed, you can look back and appreciate the present you?
The idea of considering your future self is certainly not my concept.
However, I DO have some questions.

Will you be able to look back in 10, 15, 25, 50 years and tell yourself you did everything you could to set yourself up for what you wanted to become. Will you be able to say, “I’m successful” (however you might end up defining success) because of what I did now?
Will you be able to tell yourself you did the best you could in your high school classes? You didn’t just quit because an assignment was hard?
Will you be able to tell yourself you did the best you could in your high school extracurricular activities to ensure a potent job application / resume / college application? Or set yourself up for, and apply for, college scholarships?
Will you be able to tell yourself you did the best you could in college or trade school?
Will you be able to tell yourself you did the best you could in working your way up “the food chain” at work? Did the best you could at every task, every position, ever opportunity? Throughout your career?
Will your future self appreciate the amount of time you spend on your cell phone or social media or watching TV or …?
Are you setting him/her up to be comfortable?

Are you helping to create a better society? Are you helping others in need such that you can look back and say, “I was a pretty good person”?

The one person you will never be able to escape is you. You will, hopefully and if you are smart, move away from your parents. Brothers and sisters may move to other areas of the town, state, country. And if they don’t, you will still be able to avoid them. Friends and coworkers may come and go.  Even your spouse will be avoidable on occasion.
However, you are stuck with you. 365 days each year – 24 hours each day – 60 minutes each hour – 60 seconds each minute. You will be there. Even if you don’t look yourself in the mirror, you will still be there.
You will live in the house you are setting yourself up for now. You will drive the car you are setting yourself up for now. You will eat the food and take the vacations you are setting yourself up for now.
You will live in the comfort, or lack thereof, you are setting yourself up for now.
You will live in the society you are helping to create now.

Will you appreciate what you hear when you get the answer?
Will you have done everything you could to set yourself up for success? However your future self will define success.
Will you have done everything you could to set yourself up to have time for family and friends, leisure activities?

Are you doing all you can to ensure your future self appreciates your current self and what you are doing for you!?
Will you be happy, and specifically happy with yourself, due to what you are doing now?
If not, why not?
Is it time to change something about yourself?

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…