Abundance and the Art of Life Avoidance
“Someday I’ll be a millionaire.”
That’s what Tim would say to himself each morning as he got ready for work. It was a mantra he’d repeat regularly to anyone who’d listen.
Certainly, if he repeated it enough, it was sure to come true.
Tim learned early in life that the world is filled with abundance—an unending supply of resources and opportunities—and anything he wanted, he could have as long as he believed it so.
So, every evening, Tim would lie in bed and repeat to himself the same thing he did when he woke up: “Someday, I’ll be a millionaire.”
Yet, something wasn’t quite right.
Tim had said the same thing to himself for years, but for some reason, it hadn’t come to be. “Not to worry,” thought Tim. “My potential is endless, so it’ll happen eventually.”
But Tim knew that something else was wrong too; he just didn’t know what it was. At 36, he still wasn’t sure what he wanted from life, aside from the money. It didn’t seem like a problem before, but after years of waiting for an epiphany, he couldn’t help but worry a bit.
And he knew he wanted to experience love and raise a family, but the perfect woman hadn’t come along just yet. With more than 3 billion of them though, there was certainly no scarcity. “It’ll just happen, I guess,” he would tell his friends. But inside, he questioned if it actually would.
One day, Tim got a life-changing phone call. It was Erika, an old friend from high school. Back in the day, they’d eat lunch together and talk about what the future would look like. They made big plans—never held back by fear or reality—and would laugh together about everyone around them just “going through the motions,” living life as it was dictated to them.
Erika had just quit her job to start a business and wanted to know if Tim was interested in partnering with her. She explained that it was a small operation, but she thought it had good potential to grow into something bigger.
After a few meetings, Tim agreed that the business was a great idea and he thought to himself, “This could be it! This could be my chance to be a millionaire!” But when he learned that partnering meant leaving his comfortable day job and taking a pay cut, he started to have second thoughts.
“The universe is filled with opportunities, and this is just one of many,” he rationalized. “Why should I make myself uncomfortable for something like this when a million other opportunities are waiting for me?”
Tim was so committed to the idea of endless opportunity and abundance that he turned Erika down and decided to wait for something better.
Over the years, more opportunities came along for Tim. Some of them were pretty good, too, but none of them were perfect. And with all the opportunity and potential in the world, he turned them all down. After all, he was still steadfast in his belief that the world was filled with possibilities for him. And he was right—lots of things came and went—but year after year Tim wondered when the perfect one for him would finally arrive.
Years went by, and Tim slogged along like he always had. He still believed in the idea of an abundant world, but he’d admittedly grown less optimistic about what that meant for him.
Still, he recited his mantra each morning after waking up and each evening before going to bed:
“Someday, I’ll be a millionaire.”
One odd Tuesday, Tim decided to take a detour on the way home from work to stop at the “fancy supermarket” in the wealthy neighborhood on the other side of town. He liked to go there once in a while to buy unreasonably expensive cheese—it reminded him of what life would be like once he made his millions.
Just as he was getting out of his car, another pulled up next to him. It was Erika. They laughed and had a nice chat while they shopped together. Turns out, Erika’s business from years ago had failed, but the one she started soon afterward had taken off and was very successful.
Tim kicked himself a little for not saying yes years ago, but reaffirmed to himself that his day would come… eventually.
On their way out of the store, Erika spotted a penny on the ground and bent over to pick it up.
“Why would a woman with money like you even take the time for a penny?” Tim joked. “Surely you can do better! There’s probably a nickel between here and the car.”
Erika smiled at Tim. “I guess it’s just habit. If I see a nickel, I’ll pick it up, too!” When she saw Tim roll his eyes, she added, “The world is full of opportunities, Tim, but there isn’t much sense in waiting endlessly for the best one when there’s a perfectly good one staring you in the face.”
“Sometimes you have to take action to get what you want.”
Annoyed by the preaching, Tim wished Erika the best and said goodbye.
Months later, at a routine health check-up, Tim’s doctor found a lump near his throat. They decided to run a few tests just to be on the safe side.
After a week, Tim got the devastating results. It was cancer. The doctor explained it was very developed and while it was hard to say just how long he had to live, the prognosis was, “not very.”
However, he also explained to Tim that if he started chemotherapy now, there was a chance the cancer could be defeated, even if the odds were slim. “There are other treatments in development, but they aren’t ready yet. If you start chemo now, you might beat this, but you’ll be too weak for other alternatives if they become available.”
“What would you like to do, Tim?”
Tim lowered his head for a second in despair. He thought about all the things in his life he’d wanted to do, but hadn’t gotten the right chance.
But then, he remembered the truth he’d held so close his entire life: “The world is filled with endless opportunities. Mine will come.”
Tim smiled a little and lifted his head to the doctor. “I guess I’ll wait and see what comes.”
On his drive home that afternoon, Tim turned on the radio and whistled along. He didn’t want to think about the prognosis he’d just been given. Drowning out his thoughts of regret, Tim remembered Erika and what she said in the parking lot that day they met. Loudly and forcefully he repeated to himself:
“Someday, I’ll be a millionaire.”
Opportunity is infinite, but life is not. Act accordingly.
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Attention Portland: I’m holding our very first “Riskologist Field Assembly” in my hometown of Portland next Saturday evening. The idea is “a meet-up with a meaning.” Tickets are free, and I’d love it if you came. Here are the details.
Image by: maistora