It’s funny how naive we can be to assume we can get whatever we want without a trade-off or a price to pay. I don’t think the concept of “something for nothing” exist. There’s always a price to pay.
None of the successful people you and I know (the celebrities, the ones you read and hear about, those YouTube stars and even some of your relatives) ever got to the place they are today without paying a price. If you think they did, you might as well check with them for their “secret.”
Almost every successful person I know sacrificed a lot to get to where they are right now. A LOT is an understatement, really. Some have suffered insurmountable hardships while others have lost their cherished relationships in pursuit of their dreams or achieving success. They paid the price by being persistent and never losing sight of their bigger vision.
The biggest case in point is my own life! I wanted financial independence. It’s been a long and arduous journey and it took me almost 10 years to understand that I can’t possibly be financially free unless I (learn to) sacrifice my wants for the greater “needs” of my life. Making better decisions is the key to financial freedom. Yes, that means budgeting or following a system (such as YNAB, a great system that has changed the way I look at finances) that will allow you to “use your resources” (money) mindfully.
The most important aspect is to know that you will goof up every now and then. Expecting anything else is wishful thinking. Know that you’ll fail but learn to roll with the punches when life gets in the way. And yes, there are times when your needs have to be your life’s focus — particularly if you are in debt or are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Yes, that may mean you will have to forgo the thought of buying a new iPad Pro or that new Toyota Corolla or order takeout on days you didn’t have time to pack your lunch. It’s uncomfortable but keeps your head and heart in the right place. The pain of suffering when you’re in the negative is worse than the pain of being disciplined about where you’re investing your hard-earned money.
Tieing that to your dream to succeed in life, know that you will sacrifice something valuable off of your life to pay the price. That could be time, money, peace of mind, sleep or relationships. It’s inevitable. Unless you want to fade away as a mediocre wanderer who could have been much more.
What you need to get clarity on is the price that you’re willing to pay to achieve your dreams. And there’s always a price to pay.