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Xcelerated Performance: Money, Time, & Family

Xcelerated Performance: Money, Time, & Family

July 28, 2023

What do money, time, and family have in common?

... apparently, much more than I once thought.

We can all agree that money and time are precious resources. This life would be impossible without either.

As for family, I wouldn't say it is a resource but an enrichment.

Our loved ones are what enrich our lives. The laughter, joy, love, and memories we make carry us from valley to mountain peak.

So what do they all have in common?

Well, it's been statistically proven that those with more money have 12X more time with their family.

Those with $300,000 in net annual income tend to see their adult children (age 18+) around 12,000 times. While those who make significantly less than that only see their adult children another 1,000 times in their lifetime.

Sounds crazy, right?

So if you make +$300,000 you will see your adult kids about 12,000 more times.... and if your kids are over 18, live out of state, and you make less than that... you will probably only see them another 1000 times.

Why is this?!

It got me thinking of my experience with this paradigm- My family vs my spouses'.

My inlaws always struggled financially. They started from nothing with big hopes but could never quite get ahead.

While my parents, who also started from nothing, set out to be entrepreneurs. They bet on themselves and forged their way to a place of success.

My inlaws, who lived states away, were never able to visit. Not to celebrate with us after we purchased our first home, or had our first child ... our second child, or for anniversary parties or birthday celebrations. In fact, they didn't even make it to our wedding... which was only partially a result of finances- But that is a story for another day.

Samson's parents finally met their grandchildren when our girls were 3 and 4 years of age; when we took them on their first plane ride.

I think that being able to see their son another 1000 times before they died was a probable estimate had they not finally moved to Colorado.

Then there's my parents. When my brother left for college, my Dad got his pilot's license. He wanted to fly easily and see my brother and all his games whenever he wanted. And he did. When we all got married and started having kids, my parents bought a vacation home in Steamboat, big enough to sleep all their children and grandchild. Then they bought an RV for us to use, hoping we would all plan a camping trip together. (It turns out that, as adults, we all hate camping. So after a year with only one trip under its belt, my dad sold the RV... but that's not the point.) Then they built their new dream home, big enough for all the grandbabies to sleep over whenever they want.

I see now that everything my parents splurged on was to enrich our lives with more laughter, more memories, and ultimately more time.