What does your lifestyle look like? You heard the phrase, “dress for the job you want, not for the job you have.” Let’s take that principle to a whole new level. You should be living the life you want, not the life you have…unfortunately, far too many people are doing this because they don’t really grasp the full scope of the principle.
You want to be rich and successful, live like you’re rich…
Okay…now, let’s dive into that…
You have to cherry pick the characteristics that help to get you to that level of wealth opposed to flaunting wealth you do not yet have. Some wealthy are just lucky… they have been born into it or inherited it or something… but many of the wealthy have become wealthy based on wise decision or success with a particular skill… The key is not where they gain their wealth but how they keep it.
The money you make, whether big or small, must be handled carefully. Far too often, people who are making less money are less careful with their money. If you are making more and a problem arises, you are more likely to be able to handle it. While when you are making less money, you have a higher likeliness of facing a struggle. The sad fact is that although, the wealthy can potentially handle said problem with more ease, they still are more careful when counting their dollars. You need to learn now to be careful with your money. You must be mindful of your spending and spend each dollar with intent now while you have less of those dollars so your bank roll can continue to grow.
You need not live a life of luxury… You aren’t there yet. Do not live beyond your means. That isn’t wise nor will it give you the wealth you are seeking and the wealth you deserve.
Make wise choices with your money. There was an employer that I worked for years ago that had the most perfect mind for money. He always seemed to know when it was time to cut his losses, invest in new areas… he saw the value in things that weren’t inventory such as an atmosphere in his stores, a basic comfortable moral amongst his staff, investments in the city around him by being involved in charities and working with many organizations around the city. He also operated under the mindset that it didn’t matter whether he spent $5 or $50, he wanted his money worth. There was an incident in which he had offered the staff a generous meal that was catered but the staff was stuck taking turns as they could not neglect their post tending to customers. As things were running a little behind, he politely requested that they give him an extra 30 minutes to ensure everyone got to eat… He offered them another $50 for 30 minutes. They politely agreed only to remain moody for that last 30 minutes and rush the last few people. Needless to say, he was frustrated at the idea that he had paid extra for his staff to be cared for only to have his staff somewhat snubbed and they didn’t stay for the full 30 minutes. As long as I have known this man, he is a man of principle a man who was going to get what he pays for… no matter how big or small. It isn’t about the money… but more the principle. For this discussion, I want you to focus on the money…
The point here is that every dollar should matter. I have had friends even family members who I watched live paycheck to paycheck. I also watched them go to the store and buy things they didn’t need and say, “ahhh…It’s only a dollar.” You say it’s only a dollar ten times, that’s $10; do that every week or every few days, that’s a lot of dollars tossed away.
I’ve watched friends go to concert after concert only to be wondering how to get gas money the day before payday. Years ago, I had a roommate that would get paid Friday; by Monday, he was trying to figure out how to make it through the week. The idea is simple… each dollar should matter.
If the dollars matter now while you have less of them, you will be much better equipped to manager your business as it grows. You will have lots of responsibilities that are all dependent upon your ability to manage things well.
You’ve got your whole life to party and go to concerts and whatever else it is that you’re spending your money on. The most important key you can take away from wealthy people about staying wealthy is to focus your attention on your business, investing, and watching your dollars. They can’t disappear if you’ve got your eye on them.
There is a great photo of Jay-Z when he had $600,000 listed as his net worth…. He was just getting started building himself and his brand. He was wearing a sweater and three enormous gold chains; the cost of each was probably quite ridiculous along with several large rings on his fingers… There is a later picture of him when his net worth is listed around 5 billion… he is wearing a long sleeve shirt with a single thin gold necklace and no other jewelry. He stopped focusing on the appearance of wealth and redirected his attention to actual wealth. He is known for spending money… But that is no longer his focus as it was when he was young. Learn from this. Focus on building your wealth, not appearing wealthy.
beingcoreybayless 