The unfortunate thing about most money advice is that it focuses on the “no.” That’s a brutal way to think about money.
For example:
– No, you can’t attend that concert because it’s expensive.
– No, you shouldn’t buy that coffee when you can brew it at home.
– No, that vacation is too expensive, and you should be saving instead.
No. No. No.
And when we think about becoming a millionaire by focusing on no instead of yes, we ruin the beauty of this process.
Millionaires don’t cut as much as they curate.
Millionaires only allow into their lives the things that bring immense happiness. The stuff they couldn’t live without.
They don’t focus on the no. They focus on curating the yes so the things and people around them make them unbelievably happy.
Here’s how it works. Don’t worry, it’s easy.
How To Curate The Yes
Let’s flip traditional money advice on its head for a moment.
No advice: Don’t buy Starbucks. It’s a waste of money.
Better advice: If that designer coffee is what gets you up in the morning with a jolt of energy and ready to attack your day, do it.
No advice: Stop going to concerts. They are too expensive.
Better advice: If concerts are your way of unwinding and reducing stress after long weeks of working hard and making lots of money, do it.
No advice: Stop going to restaurants and start cooking for yourself.
Better advice: If restaurants give you the opportunity to socialize, relax, and reward you for a week of hard workouts, do it.
Notice two important keys in each of these examples.
Key #1: I’ve reframed each “no advice” into something positive. Instead of cutting, you’re allowing when there’s a good reason, which brings us to our second point below.
Key #2: Notice why we spend money in each case. For instance, you’re going out to restaurants after a week of hard fitness training. You’re attending a concert to unwind after making money. You’re picking up your favorite coffee cup because it improves your morning.
Millionaires say “yes” as a reward, not as an entitlement.
For instance, going out to restaurants every day without working out hard is a one-way street to getting fat and unhealthy.
Paying money you don’t have for concert tickets will drive you into debt.
Buying designer coffee every day just because you’re too lazy to make your own IS a waste of money.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since quitting my full-time job in 2016 at the ripe age of 35, it’s this: Your life can’t feel like a sacrifice. If your money philosophy is filled with a bunch of “nos,” it will feel like that.
Instead, reframe every no into a yes as a reward. Not only will you get to do more things, but you’ll also enjoy them because you are rewarding yourself for a job well done.
Chat next week!
– Steve
