Prepare for Wealth
 

The world can be a complicated, time consuming, wasteful place if we allow it to be. Things are very simple in theory and in marketing. But the reality is that even the simplest of tasks can become agonizingly difficult. How many times can you remember running into difficulty with “customer service” people at the phone company, the electric company, the cable company, with stores you frequent, with contractors, auto mechanics, car dealers, and any number of other people while trying to accomplish the smallest of tasks? I’ll bet you’ve experienced the frustration of waiting in line, of being on hold, of getting disconnected, and being on the receiving end of any number of excuses.

While this may seem like a cynical view, the world has no shortage of lazy, incompetent, and indifferent people. Lots of people are apathetic – they just don’t care. Some are just pathetic. There is the inertia of mediocrity all around us. The more complicated you allow your life to become the more you will be caught up in this mediocrity because you’ll have more exposure to it. That’s a dose of reality.

Conversely, the remedy for this is simplicity and consistency. It took me years to recognize this. But I found that if you want to move forward along the path to any goal you need to focus on making that path as straight as possible. The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line. What in the world does this have to do with money? Everything. Many people spend their days consumed by things that are unimportant in the greater scheme of their lives. If you really want financial freedom and security, all you have to do is follow a simple plan and keep moving along the most direct path to lead you there. If you take two steps forward and one step back, that’s three steps. It’s easier to take just one step forward.

You might think you’ll have to become a tightwad who sacrifices everything in the pursuit of money. But that’s not what this is about. Let me put it to you in terms of taking a flight somewhere for a week. I usually travel very light and use everything I bring.

That means there’s less stuff to worry about, less to pack, and less to lug around. For a week long trip, I usually only bring one small carry on suitcase with wheels. I check in early with an e-ticket and read a book while waiting for the flight at the gate. Upon arrival I roll straight out to a shuttle or taxi. No need to wait at the baggage carousel and potentially face lost luggage. I get there faster with less effort and chance for delay. It is the easiest and most direct path. Do you prefer the hard way or the easy way?

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