I read something in an email from Emmet Savage Founder and Chief Investor, MyWallSt the other day that has really captured my attention and I really can’t stop thinking about it. I believe he quoted from James Clear’s book ATOMIC HABITS.

James says, “Aim to be great in 10 years. Build health habits today that lead to a great body in 10 years. Build social habits today that lead to great relationships in 10 years. Build learning habits today that lead to great knowledge in 10 years. Build investment portfolios today that will lead to great wealth comfort in 10 years plus. Long-term thinking is a secret weapon.”

It was that last line that especially got me and has made me think a lot about how many of us live from hand to mouth and not worrying about tomorrow or what we will leave behind for not only our kids but our legacy.

Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis invokes long-term thinking and said something very profound: “Acting wisely means acting with a time horizon not of months or years but of generations!“

Wow, that statement caught me on the blind side and really challenged me to think about how I am truly looking at how far my purpose, goals and dreams are?

He goes on to say that short term thinking tends towards the selfish with attitudes of “better get mine while I still can”, I don’t know about you, but that does sounds familiar.

Long-term thinking plays into higher ideals, big picture thinking, significance, stewardship and intergenerational foresight.

That’s exactly what your secret weapon has to be for the next 10 years minimum and counting. This approach is what all of us or anyone that believes in intergenerational wealth and wellbeing across different aspects of life should focus on. Especially if you are at a certain age in life, I believe you should stop thinking about yourself and how comfortable you want to live and mostly focus on how you should set the foundations for intergenerational success, wellness and wealth et al.

To be honest with you, long-term thinking is what’s guiding me right now as I navigate my recent and current circumstances. It helps me focus when knowing that this short term pain, has long term joy coming and that I must focus on the bigger picture for better times to come not only for me, but my kids and hopefully next generations to come.

Long-term thinking means knowing that in life, there will always be downturns, crises, struggles and panics but at the end of the day, it all boils down to essentially two things: patience & positivity. I know what you are thinking – “Easier said than done” , yes it’s not easy but do it anyway.

It’s the long-term thinking and habits we build today that will lead to great wealth, health, happiness, relationships over time, in spite of the many temporary setbacks and challenges that we all encounter in the process of journeying through life.