There are two very important concepts that we keep in mind while planning. They come from ancient philosophy but still apply today: Memento Mori, and Amor Fati.
Memento Mori
This is a Latin phrase that means "remember that you will die". It may sound morbid, but it is actually a powerful reminder of the impermanence of everything, the ephemeral nature of possessions and the finitude of our time on this planet.
Memento Mori teaches us to focus on what matters most: our values, our purpose, our relationships, our actions
. It helps us to avoid distractions, regrets, fears and anxieties that prevent us from living fully and authentically. It also inspires us to appreciate every moment, every breath, every opportunity that we have, because we never know when they will be gone.
As a financial planner, I often see people who are obsessed with money, status, material things and external validation. They work hard, save hard, invest hard, but they forget to enjoy their lives. They postpone their happiness until some future date that may never come. They sacrifice their health, their family, their friends, their passions for a false sense of security and success. They are not living, they are merely existing.
But money is not our most precious asset. Time is. Time is the only resource that we cannot earn more of, no matter how hard we try. Time is the only resource that we cannot get back, once it is spent. Time is the only resource that we have to use wisely, because it determines the quality of our lives.
So how do we use our time wisely? By aligning it with our values and goals. By spending it on things that bring us joy and fulfillment. By investing it in ourselves and in others. By giving it away generously and gratefully. By living each day as if it were our last, but also as if it were our first.
Memento Mori is not a pessimistic or nihilistic concept. It is a realistic and optimistic one. It is not about fearing death, but about embracing life. It is not about giving up on the world, but about making the most of it. It is not about being sad, but about being grateful.
Amor Fati
Amor fati is a Latin phrase that means "love of fate". It is the idea that we should embrace everything that happens to us, good or bad, as part of our destiny. It is not a passive resignation, but an active affirmation of life. It teaches us that the only path to happiness is learning to love what we have, not what we wish we had.
One of the most famous proponents of amor fati was the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who wrote:
“ My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendaciousness in the face of what is necessary—but love it.”
Nietzsche was influenced by the ancient stoic philosophers, who also practiced amor fati as a way of living in harmony with nature and reason. The stoics believed that we cannot control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we respond to it. They distinguished between things that are up to us (our thoughts, actions, and emotions) and things that are not up to us (external events, other people's opinions, and outcomes). This is known as the dichotomy of control.
One of the most famous stoics was Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher, who wrote:
”What impedes progress becomes progress; what stands in the way becomes the way.”
Marcus Aurelius taught that we should use every obstacle as an opportunity to grow and improve ourselves. He also advised us to avoid anger and resentment about the past, which are futile and harmful emotions. He wrote:
As a financial planner, I have seen how amor fati can help us achieve our goals and overcome our challenges. It can help us to be more grateful for what we have, more resilient in the face of uncertainty, and more adaptable to changing circumstances. It can also help us to avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety, which can harm our health and well-being.
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