We become comfortable with the circumstances that we are familiar with. Many people are uncomfortable speaking in public but after doing it several times especially on a specific topic they become comfortable. The point of this topic is to make you think about the things you are comfortable with in contrast to what you think you would be comfortable with if you were so lucky to have it.
Despite what you dream about, you might actually be uncomfortable receiving a giant payment like winning the lottery or receiving an inheritance, and will then quickly get back to your familiarity or comfort zone, in other words back to broke. You might be uncomfortable being broke and will climb your way back to a comfortable level of wealth. We’ve seen both examples countless times. Poor or middle class people who win the lottery spend their way right back to where they started, or rich people who went broke climb back to a state of wealth. T Harv Eker calls it your Money Blueprint.
Wealthy people are comfortable with constant financial growth. Poor people are comfortable with a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle. If you’ve ever seen the documentary Broke you will see first-hand how uncomfortable some of the athletes were when they received a giant signing bonus or new contract. One athlete talks about never having had a bank account and receiving a check for several hundred thousand dollars. It was an unfamiliar situation and he had no idea what to do. Another talked about never learning to drive a manual car and he was gifted a Ferrari that sat in his one car garage.
Everyone dreams of bigger grander things from time to time but the key to growth is getting familiar and comfortable with the unfamiliar and uncomfortable. You need to be able to responsibly and manage what you have in order to receive more. As soon as you begin to feel comfortable with your current circumstances, look for opportunities that will push you to grow. Get uncomfortable.
I use the example of Shaquille O’Neil from time to time. He was born to a middleclass family. When he got his $1 million signing bonus as he entered the NBA, he didn’t consider the taxes that would be taken out, he didn’t watch his account as he went out and bought 3 brand new Mercedes for himself and his parents. Shortly thereafter he received a phone call from the bank informing him that he had over drafted thousands of dollars. That experience and the advice from the banker whom he knew as a family acquaintance changed his life. He is now one of the most financially fit athletes in the history of the NBA. He manages his money with accuracy and budgets. He’s aware of how much he has coming in, how much he can spend and how much he invests. He has continued in his education earning a PHD and has become familiar with a new standard of living.
