What’s the Point of Having Money if You Don’t Spend it
$300k sitting in a bank account; yet I was paralyzed by the thought of what I was going to do for money in the future. I had hung up my previous career and was unsure of what was next. I was so fearful about money that I made myself and others around me miserable. Instead of investing in new opportunities or in myself I was living off my savings. I held onto that money so tight that I pissed a good portion of it away. I couldn’t get past the thought that somehow this money needed to last me forever because I would never make another dollar.
That was my situation a little over year ago. I wasted a tremendous amount of time worrying about something so trivial and shortsighted. Worst case scenario; I could have lived off that money for 5-7 years depending on how I scaled my lifestyle. That’s more than enough time to figure things out. I could have gotten a job and made a little money until I figured out what was next for me. Instead I did nothing but cling onto my past and the lifestyle I was accustomed to. That behavior cost me much more than money. It cost me time, happiness, health and some of the people in my life.
Today I’ve changed my outlook and behavior. I’m finally starting to spend money investing in myself and my future. It’s insane that I could spend $10k on a watch or $100k on a car without batting an eye. But when I thought about spending a couple thousand dollars investing in bettering myself, my asshole puckered and I became incredibly stingy. The most important thing I could possibly spend my money on made me the most uncomfortable. I would either avoid doing them or do them in the cheapest manner possible.
When I read about or talk to successful people, the one common theme they share is that they all invest in themselves. Whether mentally, physically or emotionally; they spend the time and money needed to make them the best at what they do. They realize it’s an investment that will always pay dividends over time.
Success doesn’t have to equate to money. The majority of people don’t want to be millionaire’s to be able to say they have a million dollars in the bank. Well, some may. Most want to be millionaires because of the lifestyle it could afford them. The luxury of getting up in the morning and spending their day doing whatever they would like. Not having to worry about bills and other financial obligations.
Not every millionaire lives how I described. I know people who barely have a pot to piss in and lead much more rich, exciting lives than those with millions. They spend their money investing in life experiences. They travel and enjoy what the world has to offer. I see their posts on social media and wonder how many of them afford it, knowing some make very little money. They spend what they have to build wealth in life experiences.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t save your money. I think everyone needs to create a financial plan and a vision of how they want their tomorrows to look. However, The only thing we have for certain is now. The happiest people I know don’t wait for the perfect timing to start living life. They go out and do it. Spend your money on what makes you happy and adds value to your life in a significant manner. What you experience in life and the person you become as a result is what make you truly wealthy.