This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
How much happiness do things add to your life?
I’ve had my car for ten years. I boast about it because I’m a proud automobile owner that hasn’t switched cars for a f*cking decade.
The last time I had a car payment was almost a decade ago because I paid off my car in 3 years instead of 6.
Call me peculiar, but one of my greatest achievements with my car was reaching the 200k milestone. I love using stuff until it burns to the ground; I’ve always been this way.
Everyone Around Me Continues Buying New Cars
Everyone around me has gotten new cars – whether they are broke or rich, but I’ve kept my a** in the same car no matter what I saw happening around me. Recently, I got a paint job for my car and someone close to me said, “I know you have money. Why don’t you just go ahead and buy yourself range rover?”
My response: “I love my car, and I don’t want to buy another one until I genuinely desire to do so.”
A different conversation happened later that day with another friend who said, “Life is short. You should live more.”
My response: When I’m on my deathbed, I’m not going to be thinking to myself, “Damn, I should’ve bought that car.”
2 Big Lessons As You Acquire More Money
As I’ve accumulated money, there have been many lessons learned, but the two biggest ones are:
Never stop being generous.
Materials don’t mean sh*t; they’re just nice to have. Some of them offer a wide range of conveniences – many of which are unnecessary.
People worldwide are spinning their wheels working countless hours and accumulating countless stress and anxiety, and it’s all to gain materialistic items.
The American Dream Includes:
The Fancy Job
The Fancy Car
The Fancy House
The Expensive Vacations
The Fancy Stuff That Fills The House
As I’ve gotten older and wiser, though, I question the American Dream more often. Do I want and need all of these things now? Why do I want these things, and how will they serve a purpose in my life?
What’s The Why Behind Your Purchase?
When you have a worthy reason behind your purchases, they’re no longer meaningless buys. But when you buy just to buy without considering the why behind it, you’re stuck in the Consumer Trap, which equates to mindless and addictive consumption.
Embarrassment, social acceptance, approval, and affirmation are some of the key causes behind our consumption habits.
If you’re facing embarrassment about your clothes, car, appearance, etc., you can most likely take cheap actions that will help you feel less embarrassed. But some of our embarrassment is unwarranted. The question then becomes, why are we embarrassed, and who are we allowing to make us feel this way? The same question applies to social acceptance, approval, and affirmation; they’re all the same thing. We just want to be accepted, but at what cost?
We should never go into debt to prove ourselves to people. If you didn’t care what anybody else thought, would you need all of the things you have now?
Most likely not.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.