It’s hard not to want something. I know. Everywhere you look there’s another new product, a friend on a glamorous vacation, or someone just taking the day off because they felt like it. Thanks to social media more and more people are comparing others highlights to their reel. The truth is, you and I live in a microwave world. More often than not, when someone wants something, they just get it without thinking of the positive or negative repercussions.
Delayed gratification might sound kind of foreign in this day and age, but I believe it has tremendous power to spark financial success in the future. The trick is simply waiting until the moment is right. Although that might not feel as good as just buying what you want the second you want it, the long term benefits are huge. To me, delayed gratification is just replacing your current restrictions with future options.
My wonderful wife and I have been doing business for over ten years now. Along the way, there were many times we looked at each other and thought we should just take it easy for a while, go on vacation, buy a new car, do unnecessary shopping, etc. Basically, our inner child would come have a brat attack and we would have to evaluate the “want”. But, when we would take a step back and assess the situation, we found each time that we would delay those major decisions, we would be much less restricted in the future if we just waited for a more appropriate time.
For example, by putting in the hard work then and waiting for a more appropriate time, we could go on a vacation of our dreams, give more to the charities you hold close to you, help a family member out, or buy a nicer car. We learned that waiting brought us more options and time to consider our choices. In the end, it was the hard work of delaying that gratification that brought us even more.
There are countless similar stories from successful people across all sorts of different lifestyles and businesses, even people you’ve heard of. By living a minimalist lifestyle until the time was right and they had the necessary assets, they were able to afford the luxuries that make their lives so enjoyable. Quite simply, these people had to overcome to just become.
While it’s easy to know this is the right path, I know from experience that it’s not always easy to stick with it. It’s so important to give yourself the grace to be a human, but also to find a mentor to help keep you on the track to financial comfort. There are a lot of people who can talk about the theories of wealth management, but for me it was so important to find someone who had actually been down that path before and lived the lifestyle I dreamed of. Family and close friends can be a great source of emotional support, but it’s a huge step to find someone who can give realistic advice, detached from your personal story.
I recommend you keep your goals in front of you. Share your journey with someone who will hold you accountable, and always do your best.