As we step into the season of giving thanks, I came across a deeply moving piece by former Wall Street Journal columnist Jonathan Clements. At 61, Jonathan is facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, with less than a year to live. Despite this, he’s embracing what he calls “the long view”—not for himself, but for his wife, children, and the causes he cares about.

Jonathan is using the time he has left to do what matters most: have heartfelt conversations, take meaningful action, and leave a legacy of love and purpose. This is a poignant reminder of how precious our time really is.

This resonates with me on a personal level. I’m also 61, and like many, I find myself thinking there’s always “plenty of time.” But the truth is, none of us knows how much time we have. My own career pivot to wealth advising was shaped by loss—my father passed away from cancer at 67, completely altering my life’s direction.

Yet, like the cobbler whose children have no shoes, I realize I still have unfinished conversations with my own family. This season, I’m reminded that it’s never too early to talk, laugh, cry, and share your gratitude with those you love.

Let’s take the upcoming holidays as a chance to do just that. Investing in these moments of connection today—just like investing for your financial future—pays dividends for years to come.

That’s the true meaning of taking the long view.

Hal Hershfield, a friend of the podcast, recently had an adaptation from his book, Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today”, published in the WSJ.

We love this concept of “getting to know your future self” taught by Hal Hershfield, who studies the psychology of long-term decision-making, because it’s a lot like our philosophy of taking the long view.

One of Hershfield’s most well-known discoveries suggests that when people are confronted with their “future selves,” they experience an emotional connection that can influence long-term financial and ethical decision-making.

Read his article here.

In a recent WSJ piece, Jason Zweig discusses two things to do when the stock market gets crazy. The article and Zweig’s advice are worth your time (and the tips should sound familiar).

What’s more, Zweig highlights some long view thoughts from recent podcast guest, Hal Hershfield.

“Our distant future selves feel like different people from who we are now,” says Hal Hershfield, a behavioral scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies how time affects people’s decisions. “It can become especially difficult to keep those distant selves in mind when there’s so many emotions in the present—in the form of temptation or fear.”

If you haven’t already, listen here to the podcast episode with Hal Hershfield.