Consider all the small steps you take to get from home to office, office to meeting. Now think of all the steps you took that made those small steps possible.
Life is a chain of small actions. You have to think ahead — farther ahead than you might imagine.
If you want to be healthy and happy at age 70, what you do now counts.
By the time you reach 70, your birth family might be gone, and many friends will be too. You'll need money, a healthy body, and a close circle of people.
Finances are a crucial element. Saving small amounts regularly over your working life adds up to big security and flexibility in old age. You will need it.
For a healthy body, exercise throughout life. One finding from the Harvard School of Medicine shows that people who regularly engaged in physical activity during middle age are more likely to be in better health at age 70 and well beyond.
When your birth family is gone and the number of surviving friends dwindles, you'll need lasting relationships. Double Income No Kids sounds great at 30, but it's a recipe for loneliness and solitude at 70. If your partner arrives at age 70 with you (and that's not guaranteed), you'll still need more than just one close relationship to navigate aging. Your circle of friends today may not be around 40 years from now. Family probably will, although nothing is guaranteed.
The key is to strive to create and maintain relationships throughout life. Create a family. Reach out regularly to friends. Join organizations or churches where you can build new relationships.