Short-term vs. Long-term Thinking

I just finished my work out routine. I feel great. I’m tired and a little sore, but I feel great. An hour ago I did not feel so well. I was tired. I was sore. I did not want to work out. I had plenty of reasons for not wanting to work out today. I had already worked out plenty of times this week. I just didn’t feel like working out. I didn’t have a lot of time to work out before I had to get ready and go out. How many reasons does a person need for not wanting to work out? But, I did go work out and now I feel better than I did before. I knew I needed to work out but I nearly let my feelings overcome what I knew to be the right thing to do.

Many things in life are like that. I have arthritis. One of the doctor-recommended ways to reduce the pain and stiffness of arthritis is to exercise. But, exercise hurts. What’s the sense in that? And yet, every time I exercise, the arthritis hurts less.

Feelings get us into trouble, many times. We know what is right, but we don’t feel like doing what is right. I don’t feel like exercising, so I don’t. Then I feel less like exercising the next time so I don’t. Eventually I never feel like it so I never exercise again.

Why should we exercise? Why should we eat right? Why shouldn’t we give in to what feels good at the time? We know the answer. Because, long-term it is best for us.

Mathew 16:24-26 says, Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Take up a cross? Deny myself? Why should I do that? Lose my life, why? Because long-term (and short-term) it’s best.

People that take a “long-term thinking” approach to life are the ones who are best able to overcome their feelings and make the correct choices in life. If I think short-term, I stay on the couch and don’t exercise. If I think long-term, I realize that a little pain now pays off. Long-term thinking means I save money today so that I have a retirement fund and a rainy day fund in the future. Short-term thinking allows me to spend every dime I have on my wants now. People, who take a long-term view of life, prepare themselves by going to college or learning a trade or just learning new skills. Short-term thinkers don’t worry about tomorrow.

Really long term thinkers, consider where they will spend eternity and prepare themselves now to meet God one day. Short-term thinkers don’t want to think that far ahead.

What are you thinking about? Are you thinking long-term or short-term?