I am completely fascinated with human behavior when it comes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. People flock to malls, camp outside around outlets and rush like mad hatters, trying to spend all their money before the next person can. These eager shoppers, go in with a game plan for how they will to get in and get out with their hit list of products before they’re all sold out. They really get passionate about their tactics and the challenge of pursuing them, which is everything that marketers and big box retailers could wish for.
The businesses set it up, so that they grab all of our attention and show off the hundreds of dollars-worth of discounts we’ll get, if we just come in on that one special day. And with a special sort of enthusiasm, we rush in to buy big tvs, the latest smart phones, gadgets and anything else we can fit in our cart before the deal slips away. We become so fierce in our obsession to get the best deal on that new game or soon-to-be-the-best-ever-xmas-present, that we are even willing to push, shove, bite, kick and claw our way through stores.
What’s most fascinating about all this behavior, is that 97% of people who obsessively shop on those days, don’t realize how much it really costs them. Sure, you get an entertaining and adventurous day of bargain shopping, the thrill of victory, and joy of a new Thing. But you lose thousands of dollars and valuable hours of time in you life, from that one little day.
What am I talking about!?! It’s only a couple days a year. How could you be losing thousands of dollars and life hours, by bargain shopping?
Let me tell you a little story from Jim Rohn, one of my favorite inspirational speakers and authors. He was a man of many methods and his lessons are some of the easiest to learn. In this particular story, Jim tells of a poor man he had met when he was younger. This man had very little to call his own, and was very proud to show off a brand new tv that he’d purchased. He displayed it as if owning it was one of the biggest accomplishments of his life. John found himself intrigued, and naturally felt compelled to ask the man how much he had paid for the tv.
“$400.” Now, this was back int he day, at a time when $400 was equivalent to about $4000 today. A lot of money for even a moderately wealthy person to spend on a television, moreover a poor man having so save the little he had over such a long time to achieve this goal. At his surprise of the cost of the television, John said; “That television has surely cost you a lot more than that. My guess would be, that this television has cost you an upwards of $40,000.”
The man was shocked and demanded an explanation. How could Jim not be excited about his accomplishment, his greatest purchase and most valued treasure?
“While you’ve been watching that TV,” Jim replied, “You could have been investing in your education, building a business, or even learning about financial investments. When you add up the thousands of hours that you’ve invested in watching your fancy television, and what you could have done productively with your time… I’d estimate your losses are even higher than $40,000.”
“Poor people have big TVs / Rich people have big libraries” ~Jim Rohn
When I first heard this story, I honestly found myself surprised at the truth it holds. When I think back on all the hours, days and accumulative years I’ve spent watching television or playing with all my gadgets, I sometimes feel guilty about everything I could have done.
Now…I dare not suggest you quit watching TV, indulging yourself in pure entertainment, or start hyper-focusing on everything you could’ve done in your life before now. Instead, what I would like to offer you, is a new awareness. Life is about creating as pleasure for ourselves in many ways. The question is; what kind of pleasure will you fill your life with?
The pleasure of instant gratification? (The kind of pleasure you et from your favorite reality tv show)
Or
The pleasure of accomplishment?
The pleasure of accomplishment is a long-lasting pleasure that brings abundant rewards well after the initial achievement, though it is not a pleasure gained as instantly or easily as pleasures like television or chocolate cake. It is a pleasure only gained when you are excited about the idea of avoiding lesser pleasures that bring only instant gratification.
Take time now to consider this concept and ask yourself some questions:
Where in my life, am I rewarding myself with instant gratification or empty pleasures?
Where in my life, am I rewarding myself with positive pleasures that are helping me relax, have fun and still achieve my goals?
What would it take for me to feel excited about avoiding the empty pleasures in my life, that are holding me back or wasting my time?
Once you have your answers, give me a call. It is truly my pleasure to be a part of your transformation into a fulfilled and successful person, and that is one of the most positive pleasures in my life.
Veranda Lane Success Blog 