We’d really rather not think or worry about getting old, but we have to. That’s partly because Rob’s concerns about his wrinkles and baldness – not to mention “the relentless decline in abdominal definition” – mean that whenever he’s in front of a mirror, old age is the topic of discussion for the next ten minutes or so.
But we also have to think about it because at some point we’ll be too old to work on our businesses, too old to gallivant around the world at breakneck speed, and too old to pull silly faces. Perish the thought. Scrap that last one – we’ll ALWAYS find a way to pull silly faces.
The concept of forward thinking to that degree is anathema to many digital nomads: we’re all about appreciating the moment, living for today, and not saving up all our enjoyment (and money) for the ultimate rainy day: elderliness.
Which is great for now, but less useful 50 years down the line when we’ve got gout, a dodgy hip and incontinence, and we can’t work out how to start the self-driving aircar to take us to the hologram-doctor.
“Cutting back” and saving $3 on Starbucks here and there won’t add up to enough to sustain us through our “autumn years” (ugh), which is why we’re working so hard now to put income streams in place that will pay off later. Between real estate investments and businesses that can be run by other people, we hope to have enough to have a comfortable life – with a little left over for hair transplants and varicose-vein removals.
Which is why, when we get asked (a lot) when we’re going to settle down and start taking things seriously, we count to ten and patiently explain that we already are. We’ve said it a million times, but this whole work/travel lifestyle isn’t a way of temporarily avoiding real life – it can be a completely viable lifestyle of its own, and planning for the future is just as much a part of our lives as it is for anyone else.