There are some things you can’t take back – and you’d never want to! I spend a lot of time, as I’m sure you do, focusing on the numbers. Are you always looking at the ROI on all of the capital expenses that come along with being an entrepreneur? I know that I certainly do, we can’t help it – it goes with the territory. But some things are worth way more than the money or time we put into them.
A couple of months ago, I spent what felt like a small fortune to take my boys to watch our college football team – The Clemson Tigers – in the National Championship game. Have you ever seen those MasterCard commercials that end … priceless…? That trip was one of those purchases (though I view them as investments.)
I’m sure you can relate to my feelings. As excited as I was about taking them to the game, it was never about the game. If you’re a parent, you can understand – it as about uninterrupted time with them. I’m not painting an overly rosy picture – I drove over 1000 miles with three boys – there was whining, bickering and fighting. But there was also laughter, an unbelievable football game (that our team won in the final seconds) and impromptu life lessons for all of us.
Here’s the Facebook post that I wrote when we got back to our rental house after the game:
As you can see, we learned about hygiene – just being guys. We learned about women (a subject at which I am both an expert and a permanent novice.) About how to conduct ourselves in public (mostly by watching fans who couldn’t) and the importance of National pride. There were lessons on perseverance, grace under pressure – from a convenience store clerk – and gratitude for the big things and the small moments. I’m not sure whether they’ll remember them all, but I never want to forget them, that’s for sure.
On the way home, as he watched me pumping gas, my youngest son told me that his friends at home had already bought Championship t-shirts at the local Academy sports store. As I explained to him that we’d had something way more valuable than a t-shirt (which I’d happily buy him) – I realized something I’d never really thought about before: no matter how much money you have, you can never experience something once it’s moment has passed. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, with all the wealth in the world, can’t go back and relive that moment.
As the words came from my mouth, it dawned on me. We shouldn’t skip out on the moments of life – not the National Championship Games, the back yard games. Not only the amazing concerts, but the carpool karaoke’s. If you miss a few, you’re not the only one, I’m with you. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t commit to being better. After all, if Gates and Buffet can’t get a do over – we surely won’t! Let’s commit to do better at getting it right the first time through!