People tend to want to fit in. To be accepted. To be normal. I've spent much of my life in pursuit of this. But I've finally realized the downside of trying to be like everyone else. Following the path others have laid out can have negative consequences, both personally and financially. From accumulating debt, to adopting unhealthy lifestyle habits, it's easy to fall into the same patterns as everyone else. It feels normal, so it seems acceptable. But you have the ability to determine what's valuable in your life and to make your own decisions. I outline several areas where I've tried to adjust my habits in order to improve my financial situation as well as my personal life. See full show notes My story Most of my life I’ve wanted nothing more than to be normal. I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older that being normal isn’t always a good thing. What is normal? “Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.” Why do people want to be normal? Acceptance, fitting in Downside Avoid taking risks Without risks you can’t grow It hides your uniqueness Areas where being normal can have negative consequences: Debt Student loans Mortgage Credit cards Buying and leasing new cars Don't get into the habit of getting a new car every 5 years Used cars are more affordable Updating your house HGTV generation Lowes and Home Depot commercials There’s always another upgrade Some things are necessary, you don’t want to neglect your home But many are purely aesthetic – bathrooms, kitchens, new TVs Would you rather spend $15-20k on a new kitchen or keep that as an emergency fund or take a family trip and invest the rest If you have the money, go for it But don’t sink further into debt Eating low quality food Fast and easy Often cheap We see it in commercials and it normalizes the behavior Watching too much television I am by no means anti-television But Netflix has really changed things It’s now normal to binge watch YouTube is another example Getting married and having kids Marriage can be a wonderful thing Having kids is an amazing experience But do it when you are ready – not because you're approaching a deadline Or don’t do it at all Being on your phone constantly It’s a terrible habit and we all know it You see it everywhere so it feels normal “What grade were you in…” from 12-yr old Takeaways Be intentional with your choices Identify what is valuable – time, experiences – not stuff Remember the value of patience and discipline – something we teach kids --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fiafter40/support