One day during lunch, I ordered my usual menu at my favorite barbecue place. A barbecue combo, cola, and a salad cup.

As usual, I received a plate piled high with meat and was satisfied with my delicious lunch... but when I saw the bill, it was exactly $28 including tip. With prices rising these days, it felt a bit excessive for a single meal.

But the scarier thought came next. If I kept eating like this for a month, hundreds of dollars would fly away, and in a year, it would be a significant amount of money. At that moment, a question suddenly popped into my head.

"How much will I earn and die with in my lifetime?"

It was a question I started without much thought, but the more I thought about it, the more serious it became.

How much have I earned so far, and how much more can I earn in the future? And when I spend it all, what will remain in my hands, in my life?

In general, the working age in the U.S. is considered to be from 18 to 65 years. With an average annual salary of $65,000, that totals $3.05 million. Looking at the numbers, it seems like a pretty decent life. However, averages are just that; they are numbers created by mixing the extremes and do not reflect any one person's actual situation. In the U.S., there are many high-income earners and many in poverty, so the average value that people like us can feel does not come out.

Who can work from 18 to 65 without ever being unemployed at a high school level? Even if they exist, they would be a very rare few. So, the trap of averages always seems to confuse us.

That said, how much have I earned so far? This year marks my 16th year of self-employment. This field has fluctuating income, but roughly calculating, it seems I have earned about $1 million, yet looking at my bank balance... not even 1/20th of that amount remains. Where did all that money go?

Thinking back, I first paid taxes, then rent, utilities, car maintenance, food, dining out, shopping, insurance, medical expenses, and the occasional unexpected expenses for events. I spent a lot of money that I didn't even need to spend.

There are countless things I think, 'I didn't have to do that back then' or 'I didn't have to spend that much back then.'

Life is like that, but thinking about it makes me a bit bitter.

Moreover, looking at the average asset information for retirement for Americans, the overall average is about $330,000, and the median is around $80,000 to $90,000. This is why most Americans have to rely on Social Security, that is, government pensions, when they retire.

The average monthly amount from Social Security is about $1,975, which totals about $24,000 a year. Considering the current cost of living in the U.S., that amount is barely enough to cover rent. Ultimately, if you have no assets, many people end up falling into poverty income after retirement and working part-time.

So, I have now changed my thinking. Before it's too late, I decided to set aside 10% of my monthly income for savings or investments. These days, I'm also looking into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and other pension products. It may feel late, but I believe starting now is better than not starting at all.

As we live, we often get so caught up in making money that we don't really see how that money is flowing.

But someday, the moment will come when you receive a bill and feel dazed. Just like me.

"Huh? I've worked this long, but why does my bank account look like this?" There are probably many people who feel the same way.

So sometimes, it's not a bad idea to ask yourself these questions.

"What have I earned in my lifetime, and what have I left behind?"

It's not just about money. Time, experience, relationships, health, all of these are assets. The important thing is not to live a life of earning, but to live a life of leaving something behind.

What remains is what truly makes my life mine.