Overcome Depressing Math

In a recent article the author Tim Urban wrote about a concept he calls “depressing math.” In a nutshell, this concept comes from actually counting the number of times that we will get to experience something we enjoy from now through the rest of our lives. It feels like we have countless weeks ahead of us but, in fact, they are quite countable. For instance, we live with our kids from birth through about age 18 or so, assuming they move out to attend college. Assuming I get to spend roughly 20 days a year with each of them – Christmas, summer vacation hopefully, Thanksgiving – and assuming I have about 25 years left, we have about 500 more days with each other. The time I used to spend with them over about 16 months.

I yearn to see and experience more of the world, particularly outside the U.S. Covid essentially took two years away so now how many trips abroad might I expect to make? There will be an age at which international travel will become too difficult so let’s assume I have another 20 years and, perhaps, two trips per year. Perhaps. Better prioritize my list to make sure I get to Portugal and Greece – been to Moscow, don’t believe I’ll be returning anytime soon.

My first reaction to this concept was “depressing math” indeed! Wow! After thinking about it more, however, I realized this actually presents an opportunity. An opportunity to prioritize those activities that make me happy and plan to make sure I create time to do them.

I write a lot about planning for our financial futures, to reach financial independence. I believe strongly that being in the position to choose to work rather than having to work is true freedom. To get there means living beneath one’s means, saving and investing the rest, and having a financial plan to reach our goals. A well-rounded financial plan, however, should incorporate important experiences too.

Want to travel? Include those expenses in your plan. Dream of a vacation home in the Rocky Mountains? Make sure you save for it over a period of years rather than take from your retirement savings when the time comes.

One can’t just live for the future. Retirement isn’t a finish line, or a start line. The concept of “depressing math” is a good reminder to be intentional in planning – and saving – for our goals. At the same time, achieving that financial independence is important. Having a passport full of stamps but eating cat food at age 70 is not the right balance.

I believe I’ll start small and work my way up to some larger goals. I love chocolate pie for my birthday. Assuming I have another 25 birthdays, that’s maybe 50 slices. But, if I start celebrating YOUR birthday with a slice of chocolate pie too – that’s good planning.

Steve Byars, CFP®