I meet a shocking number of guys who believe they aren’t going to live past 40 (or some other arbitrary age). I don’t know if this line of thinking is common with young women too, but for some reason men bring it up all the time.

I used to think the same. I rarely worried about life after 40. It seemed too far in the future to worry. Even at 39, it seemed 40 wasn’t likely to happen.

My fear was more rational than most guys (though don’t we all believe we’re the rational one?). After all, I had a heart attack and quintuple bypass surgery at 37.

I was already pushing the envelope.

40 would never happen.

That may not be the way you think, or you may not realize you think it. But if you aren’t planning for the future–well, that’s a plan in and of itself.

You’re not going to die

Good news/bad news:

Odds are you’re not going to die.

I’ve looked up the statistics. If you survive your first year of life, you’ll most likely make it past 40.

Thinking you’re going to die soon results in some crazy behavior.

We fail to invest in long-term planning since we figure we won’t be around. We focus on the present and leave the future to take care of itself.

But that type of short-term thinking creates problems when we stumble past our target death date and we’re still kicking.

When I survived past 40, I was perplexed. I felt like a disappointed cult follower when the world doesn’t end on the prophesied date. What’s next? I hadn’t prepared for the next phase.

I regrouped, accepted the situation, and came up with a new target death date for my demise (also like the end-of-the-world fanatics).

That was easy for me. My father died when he was 56. Certainly that would be the end of me as well.

Time passed… And here we are again.

Now, I’m 56. Things are going well. My health is good. But I’m only half-way through the year. Anything could happen.

My wife is convinced a rickshaw will run me over here in New Delhi. She may be right, but at best it’ll break my legs.

Regardless, that type of short-term thinking isn’t just ill-advised. It’s dangerous.

Here are some things we skimp on when we harbor the belief that we won’t be around.

1. Vision

Your vision guides your day-to-day decision making. If you can see it, you can build it.

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If your vision only encompasses a few years (like until age 40), it’s not much help.

The “dead at 40” crowd simply don’t bother with vision. All they expect is a life doing the same thing others lawyers do, and a quick death at their desk at the predetermined time.

Inspiring vision? I think not.

Your vision is bigger than you. You need it for more than decision-making.

Your vision inspires your team. They need to know where they’re going and why they follow you.

Your “imminent” death is an insufficient excuse for failing to exercise the primary responsibility of the business leader. Spend some time formulating a vision.

2. Team building

Who needs a team if you’re checking out soon?

Yeah, you need a team. Investing in humans is important.

Gallup surveys reveal that friendship at work is critical. Having a friend at work is one of the most important factors that determines whether your people will stick around and stay engaged. You need a strong connection to your people.

Team building is more than ropes courses or Myers-Briggs tests. It’s about knowing your people, caring about them, understanding them, and coming through when they need you.

It’s about setting expectations and then exceeding them. It’s about building and maintaining trust by being consistent, predictable, and kind.

Your team will only stick around if you invest in them like you’re building something permanent and lasting. A big part of that, especially in the early years, is you.

Lead people so they have something to believe and follow confidently.

3. Systems

Your death makes building systems even more important. How will anyone wrap up your cases if you’re dead and nothing is documented?

The “dead at 40” crowd use their impending demise as an excuse to keep it all in their head. Why bother writing it down if you’ll be gone anyway, right?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

Systems are the business.

I’ve even created a course on systems. That’s how important they are.

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When you write things down, you free up space in your brain for higher-level work. You unburden yourself from trivia and use that bandwidth for growth.

Systems enable you to delegate, outsource, and rely on others to handle things.

Finding the energy and time to document systems requires a long-term focus. Investing in systems documentation is time-consuming and tedious.

But it’s the key to growing the business so you can take time off, invest in expansion, and eventually sell what you’ve created.

4. Networking

Who needs a network if the central cog is checking out soon? That’s an easy story to tell yourself as you cancel a lunch or coffee date.

But you’ll regret your lack of relationships when you’re 41. Those twenty- and thirty-year relationships pay off later in life in a big way.

The lawyer you befriended on the bar association softball team at age 30 becomes a key player in a big firm and your biggest referral source when she’s 55. My approach to building your network is easier than you think, but it takes a long-term commitment.

Relationships take time, and it’s harder if you start later. Get to know people while everyone is looking to make new friends and build connections. Old people like me can’t be bothered to meet someone new (we’re tired, cranky, and busy watching TV).

5. Data management

That data you pump into your practice management system will need to be extracted down the road. It’s easy to ignore that concern if you plan to be dead. But if you’re alive, you’ll need a migration plan.

My data has been stuck in three places over the years and getting it out each time was a nightmare.

We got stuck in a product called Keyfile, then we had issues leaving Lotus Notes, and most recently we faced challenges leaving NetDocuments. It was all unpleasant, expensive, and painful.

Assume that one day you’ll need to migrate your data. Have an exit strategy before you enter. Push your vendor, before you give them your data, to have a pathway out.

They won’t make it easy (because they want you to stick around), but I’ll never put my data somewhere again without the vendor’s commitment to getting it out.

6. Succession planning

You’d think that our focus on an early death would accelerate our succession plan. But that’s not the way we roll. We think of death less as a succession opportunity and more as an escape plan.

“Buh-bye and good luck,” we say as we imagine our ascent to heaven.

Succession in a law firm takes time. Most law firm owners pass the baton to an associate or partner who has been with the firm for a long time. It takes years to build the relationship, and the buyer’s financial position, so the new lawyer can take over. Those relationships need to start early.

7. Wealth building

Basic financial sense shows us the power of compound interest. (Hint: It’s our friend.) Investing early creates a dramatically bigger retirement fund.

“But I’m going to die early,” we sometimes think. “I don’t need a retirement account.”

I’ve thought the same thing, but it’s a terrible plan. It’s hard to play catch-up later when we’ve lost all that time for asset growth.

Sorry, but you won’t die soon. It’s math. So use that math to build wealth. Invest early. If you’re dead, you won’t care, but if you’re alive, you’ll be glad you set that money aside.

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You’re going to see 41

Yep, you’re going to live. I’m proof.

Plus, there’s all this data and science and stuff with statistics from experts. Don’t plan on dying early, because it’s not likely to happen.

Live your life like you’re going to keep living. Run your business the same way. Invest now, while you’re energetic.

Think long-term. Instead of shooting for low-value short-term wins, aim at the long-term, high-value target.

Build, connect, systematize, manage and plan like there’s a tomorrow. Because there is a tomorrow, so you might as well have a great business when you get there.