Forget What You Deserve, Focus on Your Capabilities
Sometimes it is difficult to make a responsible monetary decision. It would be really cool to use your money for fun instead of paying off your debts. You work hard and you deserve it. But instead of focusing on what you deserve, it’s better to focus on the opportunity.
We often work hard and try to do the right thing, but life (or the economy) throws lemons at us. It’s easy to ignore these lemons and give ourselves what we deserve, even if we can’t afford it. We hide our impending debt or retirement under the rug and instead spend money on what we “deserve.” The problem is that we are giving up great opportunities in the future: financial freedom, stability and independence.
I love the way writer Tom Hartmann talks about this in Sorted:
Getting started right away, we all deserve the best — the best car, the best home, the best vacation — no matter what does it for you. You deserve the best. We do everything.
However, we also need to make informed decisions about what and when we are going to spend. The timing must be right – otherwise, in the near future, we will lose money and turn away from opportunities that we can seize in the long term.
In short, it’s not about what you deserve. This is how NZ Muse explains it, and she offers a personal example of this idea in action. After a tough, busy year, what she would like most is to have a pleasant vacation, but that is not in the cards. While she might deserve this vacation, she focuses on the possibility of stability:
As much as I want to enjoy a tropical getaway right now, it’s much more important to work towards a stable home where we can have family and pets. EYES FOR THE PRIZE.
This is great food for thought and a reminder that reasonable spending is a trade-off. Easier said than done to make a big decision, but focusing less on what you deserve and more on the opportunity you have in your choices can be a good start.
You Deserve The Best | Sorted by NZ Muse