When you were growing up, did you have the type of parents that said “I tried to tell you” or “I told you so”. My mom didn’t. Instead she would say “that’s an expensive way to learn a lesson”. With seven kids, she had lots of opportunities to say it. I wonder why she didn’t just shorten it to something like TAEWTLAL.
There are lessons to be learned in every area of life. As a kid, I learned not to run your finger down the length of a sharp blade. Blood often follows. Don’t practice your golfing in the backyard especially if your old man is quick to temper. My buddy George Karnavas saved the day. Professional painter that he was, we replace the window pane, painted it before the old man ever knew what happened. I learned a valuable lesson, about golf and having good friends. TAEWTLAL.
Some lessons were financial related. As a struggling college student, taking classes full time and working part time, I wanted to sign up for Evelyn Wood’s Speed Reading Program. I never found out if it worked though. I gave $300 to the bank teller, they gave me a bank check, and I didn’t know and they didn’t advise me to fill in the TO: line, otherwise, if lost anyone could fill it in and never be traced. I promptly put the check in the chest pocket of my sport coat pocket, mounted my trusty 12 speed, and headed home. Once home, I discovered the check was missing. TAEWTLAL.
We recently moved to a new neighborhood and were told that it was the good side of town. What I wasn’t told is that the people from the bad side of town come to the good side and steal stuff.This town has one of the highest rates per capita of opioid and methamphetamine abuse in TN. Despite the fact that we have a security system on the house and install garage doors on the garage, we were not using either.
One night at 2 a.m., the dogs are going crazy barking . I look out the window just long enough to see the getaway car my purchased mint condition 2005 Suzuki Burgman flying down the road. TAEWTLAL.
I have a lifetime of financial mistakes including a house, cars yard sale items, tools. Probably the worst mistake of all is withdrawing 6 years of retirement funds at age 36 convinced I would never need them. What’s done is done.. I would say though with every setback I would shrug my shoulders and ask myself what’s the lesson. I would also hope that whoever ended up with the money that I no longer have needed it worse than I do.
I’m pretty sure that in every case, I could have avoided the financial missteps if I had only shared my idea with someone smarter or more knowledgeable than me. I needed information and someone to teach me patience. Besides the bad judgement, I could be compulsive. So why didn’t I ask someone for their expert opinion? For one, the risk of embarrassment of showing my ignorance. Secondly, I want what I want when I want it. And consulting another might result in my not getting what I so desperately wanted.
There is a whole college majors involving risk management and decision making. That’s something we should teach kids that in school? There’s plenty of talks on Youtube and TEDTalks on the topic. I think it might be time to revisit the issue before I go buy that almost new, slightly used scooter that is for sale. Cheap too. Wonder why? I’m sure it’s a deal.
What’s your lesson?
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