That's how they interpret the meaning of living once but doing the wrong things. Someday, they'll come to realize the true meaning of it when they'll get to remember those things that they've done and will start to have that thought that regret that they should have done better instead of those activities that haven't been productive to them. Although they can also justify it that the memories that they've made with those activities and people that they've been with can be treasured, yeah, we're there but dealing with the reality sucks and will make them realize everything is just passing by as a memory and I agree with you that we get to choose the type of living we want and the memories we want to treasure.
Most times people tend to complicate life with alot of expectations to meet and at some point, I get to tell people to accept life the way it comes and try to live the life to the fullest and also live everyday like it's the last and basically there are cases of people who seem there isn't any future for them but at the end, we see them doing very well in the future and there are those who look very promising with bright futures but end up living a worthless life.
For those who are christians, you'll agree with me that there is a saying in the Holy book that "
I KNOW THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. and there is also another saying in the Bible "
I KNOW YOU EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE FORMED IN YOUR MOTHERS WOMB. going with this saying, you'll understand that everything has been predestined and there are people who no matter how hard they try to make it in life, nothing seems to be fruitful not because they're not hard working but because they're destined not to be fruitful.
There are people that also live very reckless and careless live but still end up doing very well in future.
No one wants to be poor but even with planning, there are people who still can't have a satisfying life.
Yes, things and situations might be predestined for us but everyone has been given free will and that's the power that's given to us to change the situation that we're in whether it's good or bad. I know people that have lived miserably in the past and living good today and that's because of their decision but not everyone ends with that situation. There are those that are already happy and contented with what they have thus, they chose to continue living the hard way because even if they've got good plans, they lack of execution and following what they've planned for.