“One of history’s few iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations.” ― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
I used to feel a lot of anxiety about money especially as my income grew into the higher six figures with a young family.
I had the money to buy almost any luxury. A luxury car, luxury vacations, and even luxurious private schools for the kids.
What I was unwittingly doing with my money was acquiring luxuries that now became necessities in my mind with my fragile ego.
I didn’t want to ever have to go back to driving a “regular” car. After sleeping in the luxurious rooms of the Four Seasons I didn’t want to go back to a “regular” hotel that didn’t have the swanky lobby and five-star room service. I certainly didn’t want to let my kids down and have them go to a “regular” school.
Of course, as most of you know, due to the great recession I was forced to give up these luxuries that I truly didn’t want to give up! They felt so much like necessities and somehow I thought that if I gave these “necessities” up I was now a failure.
How often do you make decisions that aren’t rooted in your deepest held values? Is it really important to have that expensive luxury car to impress the neighbors and your brother-in-law?
I know how difficult it is to manage to support a family, grow a business, and work on developing a healthy marriage. It’s hard! I made it harder for myself by feeling trapped by society’s expectations and consumerist conventions. I created a story of what “success” should look like in my head that had nothing to do with my real values of healthy relationships and spending money in ways that created more time for myself to strengthen and nourish those important relationships.
If you are feeling the pressure that I once felt now is the time to step back and leave a game that isn’t worth playing. Building passive income and a new business should be joyful, not stressful. It should be challenging, but not overwhelming and the money you’re generating should be spent the way you truly want to spend your money.
I made these mistakes so you don’t have to! You’re welcome… ;)
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” -― Most Likely from a Tom Clancy Novel
