What to do with the rest of your life - starting today!

If you are 20 years old, then you read someone else's blog, but if you are middle-aged then perhaps you can spare five minutes.
Listen, I am not a guru of some obscure semi-religious movements who has practically all the answers to human woes. I am just like you, middle-aged, slightly unsure what the future holds and are a bit hopeful that life will be better for me from today on.
Middle-aged people (middle-income wage earners) usually have a house, a car, maybe two kids and a little nest-egg (savings) by now. You are not the millionaire-next-door yet but you think you can make it to that category in about 7 to 10 years.
If you believe life can only get better from now on, then you have come to the right place. No, I have no money to give you but I have some nuggets of advice. How useful they are, is really up to you. Some people hear opportunity knocking at their door and think that it's the branches outside hitting the wooden panelling. Others hear the same noise, get up without hesitation and open the door. Which type are you?
Life is one long or short process of learning experiences. Most of them are actually opportunities for you to better yourself and in the process help improve other people's lives.
Even so-called enemies fall into this category. For example, sometimes someone you dislike intensely bugs you for no reason. It spurs you on to do something different from the way you normally do things. Suddenly, that "thing" changes your life and you find yourself on a winning streak.
You may not realise it but that "enemy" actually helped you to find the right path. Of course, you won't be in a hurry to thank him. Most probably, you don't even know it was him who prompted you to move in that direction.
The point is to recognise a good thing when it comes your way.
One of the ways of recognising a "good thing" is to ask yourself, how will I benefit if I make use of this or that? Will it harm me in any way? What does it cost me in terms of time? Since, you are already middle-age, you have plenty of time.
Reduce some of the time you spend losing all those balls at the golf course.
One of the best kept secrets in this universe is this: If you want something for yourself, make sure someone else gets it first. In other words, you help others to succeed. Wow! You must be thinking, what kind of insane theory is this?
Not insane but logical. Logical because a person who becomes successful because of your help will in turn try to help you. If you have helped enough people in the long run, there will be a sufficient number among them who will return to lend you a helping hand.
Be determined in doing all the right things. A lot of people don't succeed, not because they are stupid or not intelligent or not street-savvy enough. It is simply because they are not persistent, not determined and don't have faith in their own abilities.
Afraid of failure? Who isn't? It is a normal feeling. It is so normal that practically nine out of 10 people stop themselves from improving because they are being labelled as a "loser". You know that big alphabet "L".
Uncaring people are usually the ones who pull others down with them. Don't let these people discourage you. There are plenty of people like that out there. No need to be angry with them, that's life. Just be determined and focused on your own goals.
If I may, will you spare some time on a spiritual quest. This is the line of most resistance. Most people when they hear the word "God", they feel as if someone has put a red-hot poker on their arm.
Why in heaven's name should anyone be afraid of being spiritual, religious or in touch with divinity. We are all spiritual beings in human form anyway. If you don't look beyond this world for some of your answers, you won't find much on the earthly plane.
Be aware of what's intangible. It's like faith. Sometimes you have to move from here to there beyond. It's not something shameful. It's not something "duh" (as the young people would call it). It's something quintessential to the core of our being.
OK, let me stop leaning too heavily on this subject before you lodge a complaint with the council of churches. Just a reminder, think of the kind things in life always, and you are not far from the right path.
Don't be obsessed with wealth. It will come soon enough once you are doing the right thing.
The rest of your life can be one long trip or a very short walk, depending on your life-line. Just joking. Don't think too much about how long more you got to live. Think about maximising the rest of the time you have in your hands.
Remember to have fun. Fun is so important that I can't overstate it. People achieve wonderful and marvellous things when they are happy. It's true. When was the last time, you were really happy?
Happiness is a decision. If you decide right now that you are going to be happy, nothing in the world can stop you. Even if you are in solitary confinement in some so-called remote region in Outer Mongolia, you still can be fantastically happy. It's very easy. Just tell yourself, "I am one big, fat happy dude and I know it now!"
Believe it, act on it and smile, Brother, God is on your side. Whoever heard of a sad God. If anybody tell you that God is always sad, give him a swift kick to the butt because he's obviously talking about some Hollywood comedian.
If you want to be happy, then make others happy. That's the whole wonderful silly formula. Don't believe me, try it yourself.