Do whatever needs to happen,
whenever it needs to happen.
This post is about self control but I’m starting with a story on splurging.
On Saturday, I bought an expensive pair of jeans. A pair of Levi’s, 70’s style flare. They cost £83.
When I first moved here, splurging was going to the charity shops and spending £10 to get 3 or 4 items. Then I got a job and could afford to go to Primark once in two months.
Last weekend I went to Dover, it’s in the south of England, when you look over the water you can see the outline of France. My friend MK lives there. We took a day trip to the Ashford designer outlet. It’s a circle of tents with shops all around. There I discovered the brand, Maje. The dress I wanted cost £226. Lol.
At Ralph Lauren, I fell for button-down shirts and sweaters that were discounted to £96 each. I wanted six. Also lol.
I hated not being able to afford more than that pair of Levi’s. It made me think of a paper I read recently that found self-control as a predictor of health and wealth outcomes. Link to paper.
I was also reminded of this tweet by Paul Graham - Link to tweet.
I’ll combine both into one sentence - Have the discipline to do whatever needs to happen, whenever it needs to happen.
The quality of your life depends on it.
Also, I binged the poorly executed Netflix show How to Get Rich and learned something important. Wealth is self-defined.
My rich life in 2024 is no debt, an apartment of my own, savings, investments, a better job, creative personal projects, a side gig, an unhurried life, a holiday in Europe, and a small wardrobe of high-quality stylish clothes. More Levi’s.
Do whatever needs to happen, whenever it needs to happen.
I moved in with a relative. This allows me pay the money I owe my brother in half the time, lets me leverage my aunt’s personal network for a side gig, and save up for an apartment. It also gets me out of the deadbeat town I was in and provides familial support.
There are cons but those don’t matter. Self control. Eyes on the self-defined prize.
Back on track. Peep habit tracker report from this week. Also got good news today.
How are you?
