The Trial Version of You

Walk into any store and pick up an item. You will find two dates stamped on it, a beginning and an end. The date of manufacturing tells you when it came into being, and the expiration date serves as a final deadline. Some products spoil, while others are simply deemed unfit as their guarantee becomes void. We see this simple cycle of production and expiry in everything we consume. It is a fundamental rule of the material world.

This brings us to ourselves. We humans all have a clear manufacturing date, the day we are born. But unlike a carton of milk or a bottle of medicine, we are not given an expiration date. We know one exists, but the final day is a mystery. If we are a product, we are one without a clear timeline. So how are we to navigate our use? Perhaps we can look at another model, the software trial. Before you commit to buying a program, you can test it. You get a trial version to explore its features, push its limits, and decide if it is right for you. What if our lives worked the same way?

Once we are born, the first eighteen years are like the installation process. Our bodies and minds undergo immense changes, acquiring the stability and strength needed to run properly. This is the setup phase. Then come the twenties. This decade is our great trial period. It is a sandbox where you can and should try everything. Pursue that strange hobby, take that risky job, fall in and out of love, fail spectacularly. In your twenties, failure is not a bug. It is a feature. Every mistake is data, every setback is a lesson that can be reworked into a success later on.

Then, around thirty, the trial ends. The full version of your life begins. The way you lived in your twenties, the habits you formed, the resilience you built, and the values you solidified, all become the core operating system for your thirties, forties, and fifties. This is your actual life, with all its genuine ups and downs. Scars from this period are not as easy to repair. The youthful strength that allowed for quick recovery begins to wane. It is a long stretch of applying what you learned during your trial.

Ideally, society considers sixty years of age to be something of an end point, the official "best before" date. But this is where our maintenance comes in. If your younger life was spent building a mentally and physically stable foundation, you can extend your life far beyond that. Everything after sixty becomes a bonus. You have outlasted the expected shelf life. Like a well-preserved food item, you may be past the suggested date, but you are still perfectly fit for use, full of flavour and wisdom.

Now, think about this structure. The installation, the trial, the licensed version, the bonus years. It is a neat and tidy model, but it is important to understand that these are elements largely designed by society. We are told when to learn, when to experiment, when to settle down, and when to retire. A truly free existence would not design such living standards. So while this model can be a useful guide, perhaps the most important question to ask is this. Who says the trial ever has to end?

Maintanance can be done in so many ways. One aspect of it is a proper planning and uncovering the true potential at an earlier stage. We can help you do that! Starting a personal growth journey is a powerful decision. It opens doors to new possibilities and helps you live a more fulfilling life. By setting clear goals, taking practical steps, building positive habits, and embracing challenges, you can create meaningful change. Remember, every step you take is progress. Begin today and watch your self-improvement journey unfold.