Why I Do What I Do. No, Really, It's the Why

@2ndchances24 In a way, you become the example, for better or worse. It doesn't always come off that way, but I do actually feel for people's life's challenges. I also understand why they have those challenges. It's because of that damn lie so embedded into people's psyche that getting ahead is an impossible thing to do. Every time I write a post explaining a different way to deal with money, and a different way to think about it, I am hoping to get to at least one person and offer them a different path. I don't like to watch pain and suffering. Especially when I know much of it is by design of one's own making. So, my aim is to kill the lie. It is never to put anyone down, or scold anyone. It's to shake the lie out of them so that the lie no longer holds them back from what's possible.

@2ndchances24 That is ALSO part of my point. Poverty doesn't happen by accident. It's a choice. Not every single time. But 9 times out of 10.

@porwest I wish you all the best, but it's more if they WANT to get out of the situation their in B-4 they will commit to getting out.

@porwest Yup. I think he was 63; and I was 62. We both retired on disability.

The good side is that when it did come unexpectedly early, you were at least prepared for it. So many other people are left in the dust when that happens.

@porwest I know what you mean. George and I are quiet people. We're comfortable, but far from millionares. But, during that year when he wasn't driving and I had Amazon out every two weeks, Fedex out once a month, and packages coming by the truck load of medical supplies, my neighbors thought we were flashing money. Hell, my next door neighbor (who never took the time to really get to know us) thought that we were and we were being stingy, just because our neighbor down the street mowed our lawn and didn't ask for anything in return. And, that radio, I wrote about yesterday, we got it because my little one is wearing out and we could. We were in a place where we actually could get the radoo and not feel guilty about it. Plus having a good radio is a must-have in a storm-prone state like florida. When the power goes out, it's your lifeline. Cutting the cord when we bought this house also I think was a good thing, too. Simply because George and I aren't huge t.v. watchers. What we do like, we can get for cheep with streaming services, and as long as we have power and internet we're not cut off. Solar pannals sure help with that.

@porwest suddenly you make me want to find a faster way to get to the pearly gates guess that will be something for me to start thinking about more,

The question is, does it really, or do you just tell yourself that? Are you in Daytona Beach because you want to be, or because you are forced to be? I thought you said you'd rather be in Latvia. So how can you say you have all you want and are not limited? That is not said to take anything away from you or what you said here. It is simply to point out the point of what I said in my post, which is the point so many seem to miss. It's not about being satisfied or okay with what you CAN'T do. It's the question of whether you are doing what you WANT to do, or what you would do differently if you COULD do it. Are you making choices because you want to? Or are you making them because something dictates you HAVE to do something else and simply be okay with that? They are very different things, and again, it was the entire point of my post. The guy on the production line does what he is forced to accept, not what he would rather choose to do instead. If you are just going along with something, it does not mean you have freedom. If you can't pack your bags today and leave for Latvia... You are not free at all. You are a victim of circumstance and are controlled by the circumstance for which, beyond it, you have no control at all. You do what you have to do. But you are not necessarily doing what you WANT to do, which is, again...my entire point. And again, that's not a dis. It's not meant to be hurtful. It is simply to further illustrate my point which is that unless you are in control of what you want to do... You are not in control at all, and all you are happy with is the fact that you have something at all, even if it is not what you'd rather have if you'd made different choices to have control over what you wanted rather than have what you don't have control over that dictates what you MUST do. When I said in my post that money is the key to living the way I want, that includes living WHERE I want to live. If I am living somewhere I'd rather not be, I am not as happy as I say I am. I'm just telling myself that to make myself feel better. But deep down, it's not true at all, and my circumstances have caused me to make sacrifices I now must convince myself to be grateful for, because I have no other choice. Granted, you can't change that. I don't write these posts for people in your situation. I write them for people who have more time on their side. And I hope, for the ones whose timelines have expired, they pass along the information to others in their lives who do have the time to make their end games better. Because if all that gets accomplished is perpetuating the misery and perpetuating the, "Just be grateful for what you have" lie... This story will continue to repeat over and over and over again.

You're absolutely right, and I will say it plainly—it is that simple. The problem isn't complexity. It's conditioning. People have heard and made the same excuses their entire lives, and they've internalized what I call a generational lie. The truth is, in any developed country, the same opportunities are available to nearly everyone. The real divide isn't access—it's belief. Most people never even try, because the lie is so deeply embedded into their psyche they can't see past it. Get a good job, work hard, do your best and everything will take care of itself. That's not how it actually works. And it's a fool's mentality. You're leaving your entire fate and future in someone else's hands, and though one thinks they are in control... They're not. Take this. How many employees at publicly traded companies own zero shares of the business they work for? Countless. Yet, they complain the owner is exploiting them while ignoring the fact that the owner has made it possible for them to share in the profits. So who's responsible when the businessman gets richer and the employee stays stuck? The worker. If a business decides it no longer needs an employee or cuts out overtime hours, and that worker suddenly finds himself three steps back—who bears responsibility for that setback? The worker. And when outside forces—say, the government—dictate that you must grind away until age 65 before retirement is even an option, because no more money will come your way until then and you don't have any to spare, who shoulders that burden? The worker. The way I see it, there's really only one path that makes sense. Self-reliance from day one. Start by landing the best job your skills or credentials can earn, so you maximize your income. Guard that money carefully. Live frugally. Save and invest what you don't need. And most importantly—learn how to invest, the same way you'd learn any skill that increases your earning power. Don't wait for the boss to give you a raise. Give yourself one. Don't just feed the machine that builds wealth for others. Participate in it yourself. Do that, and you take control. You break free from the lie. Because the truth is, most of the wealthy began the same way. At the bottom. Broke. Figuring things out. The difference between wealth and struggle isn't luck. It's that one person chose to do the right things, while the other ignored them. It really is that simple. Unless one is stuck in the lie. And then it's more complex.

@porwest start by landing the best job your skills can earn you …..not everyone can do that ….so etimes people say …you are over qualified ….yes, but they can’t get the job they are qualified for, and don’t get one to get a step on the ladder because they are over qualified. You then can’t maximize your income. Why should you live frugally ….enjoy life …. I agree with learn how to invest. You can’t always give yourself a raise ….if the chances aren’t there…. Also you need to factor in ….people are looking after other family members, illness, company going out of business, It is not all down to you ….other people and situations play a part…..