I had someone ask me today how can someone making 6 figures be struggling financially.
The truth is “paycheck-to-paycheck” does not discriminate. It does not care what your race or zip code is. It does not care if you have a degree or not. It does not even care that you are miserable, stressed, anxious, depressed, losing sleep, overeating, unfocused, overimbibing, gambling, fighting with your spouse, on the verge of suicide, or any other devastating effects of living in these stressful conditions…
Approximately 75% of US citizens are living paycheck-to-paycheck. And figures are similar worldwide.
Guess what? Doctors are the most likely to be living paycheck-to-paycheck. Why? Because they think they have to live the “doctor lifestyle” with the luxury car, two houses, rolex, and every other stereotype associated with doctors.
This is also a big factor in why other people end up in this hamster wheel, unable to get off.
We see the images in magazines, the movies, the music videos. It is ingrained in our culture. What we “should” be doing and what we “should” have.
We “should” go to college, obtain a degree, go to happy hours, have the big wedding, buy the house with the white picket fence, buy the newest, biggest television for the Super Bowl parties, keep up on all the latest gadgets and toys, have 2.5 children, have lavish gender reveal and birthday parties, pay for their elaborate promposals, proms, and after-prom parties, buy them the latest cell phones when they are 10 and a car when they turn 16, and then pay for them to go to college so they do not have to suffer like we did. Oh, and then retire to some luxury beach resort, and spend our time traveling from one child to the next so our grandchildren know who we are.
But, guess what?
That is not feasible for most people. Actually, I am exhausted just writing it!
So, how do you break free from this trap?
It is all about mindset.
Know YOUR values.
This sounds simple, but is not.
Most people do what they think they are supposed to do. They worry about what others will think.
Here is a secret: When you OWN your decisions, most people will not give you a hard time. And you need to reconsider if the few that do are worth keeping as you continue to grow and uplevel.
Are you content with be part of the 75% or do you want to be part of the 25% enjoying life without worrying about how you are going to pay the bills? The choice is yours.