YOU SHOULD READ THIS IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY, FEELING LOST OR WANT MORE OUT OF LIFE- Part 1

“INTENSELY SELFISH PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS VERY DECIDED AS TO WHAT THEY WISH. THEY DO NOT WASTE THEIR ENERGIES CONSIDERING THE GOOD OF OTHERS”- Ouida, Wanda, Countess von Szalras
I wonder if my country is no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave? It seems more like the land of the lost and the home of the slave. Only in a land of the lost would people deprioritize their time, family, friends, generosity and meaningful experiences over the accumulation of so much STUFF. Yes, stuff, like the seventeen pairs of jeans and thirty-two pairs of shoes we have in our closets, half of which we’ve not worn in at least a year. How about the car we RENT from the bank for $550 a month? Or the 300 cable channels we pay for, most of which we don’t use. When was it that we decided to place so much importance on all the dumb shit we can buy rather than on genuine happiness, rich and enjoyable experiences, generosity and meaningful work? Only in a land of the lost could such a thing happen …
“A MAN IN DEBT IS SO FAR A SLAVE”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The average American now has around $38,000.00 in personal debt, most of which is comprised of credit card debts, car loans and student loans. In fact, Americans are claiming to have gone into credit card debt “just to stay afloat”. All the while, our average car payment is $554 per month, we have accumulated over 300,000 items in our homes and 1 in every 10 of us rent offsite storage so we can…. (drumroll, please)… store more stuff.
“A MAN IS RICH IS IN PROPORTION TO THE THINGS HE CAN AFFORD TO LET ALONE”- Thoreau
Feeling stressed? If you’re the average American then there isn’t much guessing as to why. And, with stress playing a strong role in illnesses like heart disease, risk of stroke, Alzheimers, diabetes, depression, and even asthma, those under its constant influence are subjecting their health to its detrimental effects. And what causes us to stress? How about debt, lack of social relationships, trying to impress people that we barely know with our clothes, homes and cars, and the curse of unfulfilling work? And, I might propose, all related to our drive to buy stuff.
“STOP BUYING DUMB SHIT TO MAKE PEOPLE YOU DON’T EVEN LIKE THINK YOU’RE DOING WELL”- Gary Vaynerchuk
And why do we do this to ourselves? What if we’re caught in a viscous cycle of spending too much on dumb shit and then working long hours in unfulfilling jobs to keep up with all of the dumb shit we’re buying, all the while selling out on our hopes, dreams, meaningful experiences and meaningful work? Doing this depletes all of our creativity and energy, ultimately leaving us unfulfilled, which, in turn, causes us to spend more money on dumb shit in an attempt to make ourselves feel better. If we’re stressed out from working too much to keep up with the viscous cycle of spending, accumulating stuff, and many times borrowing to pay for it, how much energy do we have to invest in our health, in creative and meaningful work, in generosity, and in relationships with those we care about the most? NOT MUCH … Instead we’re left with unmet needs, limited choices in what we can do with the ONE life we have, out of control finances, a poor outlook on the world and our purpose in it, and an unsustainable lifestyle (how much are you investing for retirement?). Where is the hope in that?
“SUCCESS WITHOUT FULLFILLMENT IS THE ULTIMATE FAILURE” — Tony Robbins
What if there is a better way? What if we don’t have to live in a vicious cycle of placing too much importance on stuff? What if, instead of chasing more dumb shit we can buy, we chase happiness, more simplicity and more fulfilling lives? What if we find creative and meaningful work? What if we pay off all our debt and get our finances in control so that we have the freedom to make different choices? Instead of worrying about retirement how about investing enough to live a worry-free retirement and leave a legacy behind for our families? What if we were healthy and full of creative energy all of the time? How about we place priority on meaningful work, relationships and taking care of ourselves mentally and physically? Yes, placing our priorities on all of these things would require us to invest more energy into them instead of using our energy to invest in Dancing with the Stars. I get that. Building a life with all these elements takes A LOT of hard work and A LOT of sacrifice. There is not any instant gratification for such a lifestyle. It doesn’t make you look sexy. It probably won’t impress as many people as that BMW does that your making massive payments on. It is an unconventional path that requires a lot of discipline, hustle, sacrifice, creativity and stepping out of our comfort zone … A risk many of us are not willing to take …
If this resonates with you join me next week and we’ll dive into Part 2 and uncover 8 areas that you should focus on if you truly want to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
