The biggest thing to remember about any long game is to adjust for survivorship bias, literally. It's really compelling to write the story of the 90-year-old who had a blissful retirement with lots of money, friends and success. That misses the person who scrimped and saved and was frugal to play the long game, and who died of cancer (genetic predisposition, not linked to unhealthy living) at age 55. That person would have been much better off to play the short game. Sure, ideally, playing the long game is fun, and you get both current and future benefit. But we also live in the now, and the thing I regret most is being frugal, focusing on my career, and not going on the month-long Galapagos cruise with my dad. I missed out on that, and I can't ever get it back, no matter how much money I have in my bank account at age 75.