21st April 2025
Life is all about choices.
What I have learnt is, life does not reward easy choices. Anyone can take the the easy route but it’s the hard one that pays off & there is no other way.
Just to illustrate,
When you take on a financial debt, you get: Short-term benefit (the cash) but a Long-term burden (the repayment with interest)
As it turns out, this general tradeoff—taking a short-term benefit but incurring a long-term burden—can be seen in a variety of contexts beyond the financial.
When you avoid a hard conversation, you’re taking on a relationship debt. You get the short-term benefit of the pain avoided, but you incur the long-term burden of the problem that has been brushed under the rug. Time doesn’t heal anything when it comes to relationships. Minor issues become major issues over time.
When you skip your workouts or eat processed junk, you’re taking on a physical debt. You get the short-term benefit of the pleasure of relaxation and sugar, but you incur the long-term burden of the compounded health impact of these decisions.
When you procrastinate on your important work, you’re taking on a professional debt. You get the short-term benefit of the focus avoidance, but you incur the long-term burden of the last minute panic, regret, and missed opportunities.
The concept extends to other areas, such as environmental damage caused by short-term economic gains or the long-term consequences of unsustainable consumption patterns.
The most dangerous debts aren’t financial
but are the ones that silently drain your energy, time & trust—without a paper trail:
Time Debt — That “quick” yes that robs you tomorrow.
Energy Debt — The toxic relationship or leaky process that leaves you depleted.
Trust Debt — The little cuts to credibility that compound over time.
Joy Debt — The slow erosion of purpose when you ignore your values.
In life, you’re either compounding these debts or actively paying them down.
Don’t let success come at the cost of your unseen balance sheet.
All of these things are ‘hidden debts of life’—they may create some short-term benefit, but they will have to be repaid with interest at a date in the future.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch – The bill eventually comes due.
What hidden debt are you carrying right now?
In your finances, as well as your life – Choose your debts wisely & stay blessed forever.