Think a minimalist lifestyle isn’t for you?
Love your fancy cars, your expensive suits, and your gadgets too much?
Well, I invite you to think again. Read on, and you might just realize that you’ve been coming at things the wrong way.
Working to Live
Somewhere along the line, many of us have forgotten that we ‘work to live.’ Today, we ‘live to work,’ and a large part of this is our drive to have more stuff and more status. Why are you applying for higher positions in your current career? Is it because you need more money?
Sure, more money might be nice. But if you feel that you’re living beyond your means, then you may not have considered some of the other options available to you to solve that problem. One example is to move into a smaller house, and you’ll have less space to store your things.
But that will be about the only downside! Meanwhile, on your current salary, you’ll have much less financial stress and bigger savings. You can then spend some money on things that matter to you! Conversely, if you take that job, you’re suddenly working longer hours and coming home a lot more stressed at 7 pm. Sure, you can buy that fancy gadget, but do you have time to use it? Why not get something similar on a lower salary by cutting back on the clutter you don’t need?
Status Versus Fulfilment
People reading this might be protesting that they don’t work for the stuff. Rather, they keep on increasing their responsibilities and salary at work because it brings them fulfillment and status. Isn’t it great to be able to tell people you’re the CEO? The manager? Or just a high-flying lawyer?
Sure, but why does your sense of fulfillment and status have to come from your work?
For starters, status is an empty concept anyway. Who are you proving yourself to? Your parents? Aren’t we beyond that yet?
Meanwhile, you could get just as much fulfillment – or more – from writing your music, creating art, writing a novel, traveling the world, or learning German. But that would be your choice and your creation. Why do people feel so proud to be the head honcho of a company that sells stationery?
Is that really what matters to you?
Or have you been misled?
