Borrowing From Tomorrow
Why every choice is a trade-off, whether we admit it or not
Harvey Dent once said, you either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain.
That line feels more relevant today than ever. Public figures once hailed as heroes are often recast as villains for things they did decades ago. Time changes the lens. Perspective shifts. History gets rewritten.
But for most of us, the real questions aren’t about legacy or public judgment. They’re quieter. More personal.
Do we live for today, or do we build for a future version of ourselves that may never exist?
That’s life’s ultimate conundrum.
If we live for today, what are we taking from our future selves? Are we trading long-term security for short-term pleasure, only to wake up one day worse off in an uncertain future?
Or do we sacrifice some of life’s beauty now—trips, experiences, spontaneity—so that a future version of us can someday experience “everything”?
Most people wrestle with this duality: live now, worry later.
And for one simple reason—tomorrow isn’t promised.
We’ve all lost friends, relatives, brothers, people we love, instantly and without warning. That reality forces the question we’d rather avoid: what is the meaning of life, really?
I’d argue the meaning of life is to live. Day by day. Moment by moment.
But that answer conflicts with the planner in me—the part that thinks five, ten, fifteen years ahead. Am I selfish if I ignore that future version of myself?
Some would say yes.
But your present self might argue you’re being just as selfish by ignoring today.
So the real question becomes: can we have both?
Why can’t we live for today while still preparing for tomorrow?
That’s where intentional planning comes in. And whether we like it or not, saving for tomorrow does require giving something up today. That trade-off is unavoidable. It’s simply a fact of life.
This is the question I struggle with most. Not just personally, but professionally.
As a CFP® practitioner, I’m expected to help clients answer this question. What most don’t realize is that I have to answer it for myself every single day.
You can have all the tools, all the knowledge, all the foresight in the world—but you can’t eliminate the one constant that shapes every decision: human psychology.
And human psychology is the only constant that’s wildly different for everyone.
Some people believe tomorrow doesn’t matter because nothing is guaranteed.
Others believe tomorrow matters more because longevity runs in their family.
The irony is that we all share one certainty: we reach the same end. No matter how clean you eat, how hard you train, or how carefully you live.
The destination is fixed.
What’s variable is the journey.
Robert Frost wrote about taking the road less traveled. But every road eventually leads to the same place. The difference isn’t the destination, it’s the quality of the road along the way.
Is it filled with potholes or smoothly paved?
Are the stops five-star hotels and unforgettable meals, or cheap motels and regret?
That part is a choice.
The psychology is real. The tension between present and future is real. And the struggle to balance the two is something every one of us carries.
Can you have the best of both worlds?
Maybe.
But this question-this tension-is the one that quietly shapes our decisions, our stress, and often keeps us from becoming our best selves.
And perhaps the real work isn’t choosing one over the other—but learning how to live with both.