🤠 How To Attract Good Things With Other Good Things

Day 54: Your Choices Determine Your Choices

by Edward Smith

28 Aug 2020

Right Makes Right

Let's talk about cause and effect and personal responsibility.  

If you're like me, you've seen those stories about a person that missed out on a once in a lifetime opportunity because they failed to do the thing needed to win.   

They didn't grab the thing when it was presented to them.  They squandered it.  They missed their chance.   If only.  Regret regret regret.  Why does that happen?   Why do people do that?   In this article I'm going to talk about that.

No Right Time Without the Means

I've been there.  I've done it, but it wasn't my fault, except it actually was.   

Ten years ago I heard about this little car company that was just starting out.   My friend at the time told me he had shares of the company, and he mentioned how great it was, and wanted to know if I had gotten any of it yet.  It sounded really promising, but I didn't do anything about it, because I didn't have any extra money on hand.  

He didn't know that.  I had a good job.  It should have been no problem for me   Except there was more going on then what he could see.  I had created an illusion.  I looked like something that I wasn't, because I wasn't living the way I was supposed to.  I had spent the money on stupid, and now the stupid was double charging me.  It cost me a great opportunity.      

It's a shame.  I regret it.  The stock exploded ten years later.  I could have made a killing.  I could have paid off my house.  I didn't get to though.  I missed out.  Totally preventable.  Don't be me.  Learn from me.    

My Dirty Little Secret

At the time, my wife and I both had jobs.  We had enough to cover everything on our budget.   We were doing a lot of things correctly, but I was suffering inside and I didn't cope with it the right way.  

I was working at a start up company.   The place was chaotic, it changed constantly, it usually set unrealistic expectations, and it came with a tremendously high turn over rate.  People were always getting fired, and I always felt like I was going to be next.  This messed with me.

To cope, I began to buy a bunch of stupid things online.  It became a hobby.  I didn't ask permission.    Things would just show up to the house.  Surprise!   My wife had no idea.   

She didn't like it.   It made her crazy, and she even took away my debit card at one point, because things were getting too out of hand.   

She was completely in the right.  I was completely in the wrong.  

My wrong came with a hidden cost.

Don't Wait Until Opportunity Knocks

The house was so busy trying to keep itself stable, it couldn't stop to think or look around.  That was how I missed out on the stock purchase opportunity.   When my friend brought it up, I couldn't go home and talk about it, because money had become a taboo subject.   It wasn't safe.   It led to fights.  I was scared to bring it up, and I avoided it whenever I could.   

Instead of working as a team.  We went radio silent.  That's how the opportunity got missed.

If we had been working together, we probably would have come up with something.  We could have covered it.   We would have found a way.  We make a good team when we work together.    

Aftermath Includes Better Math

It hasn't been a complete disaster.  Those times were very educational.  I learned a great deal about myself, which is why I can talk about it now.   

I cleaned up my act.  I don't order things randomly, and when I do order things I know how we're covering it, or if we can.   My wife never gets surprised by deliveries anymore.   I know what doing that would do to her, and the cost isn't worth it.  It's not fair or nice, so I don't do it.   

We talk about things openly now.  I put the budget together so she doesn't have to, but she and I both discuss it and plan things together.  Having that united front has been amazing.   Opportunities have come up, we've discussed them, and taken advantage of them.   This has led to some major wins. Things have improved.    

Conclusion

Ten years ago, I missed out on a great financial opportunity.   It was my own fault.  I didn't communicate with my household, I was selfish, and I was short sighted.   I didn't work within my household's budget.  I went rogue, and that decision was very expensive.  The cost was bigger then I realized.   I should have waited.   Something better was coming.   

When you think in short sighted terms, and only think about today, you miss out on tomorrows.   If I had saved my money, I would have had choices.   

You don't get a choice if the money is already gone.   

Not having choices makes you a victim.  Don't be a victim.   Plan ahead.

It's not fate.  It's choice. Choose wisely.