Welcome to Wise & Wealthy: A weekly newsletter full of proven ideas to become smarter and wealthier. I send this every Monday.
#148 – October 28, 2024
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The grass is greener syndrome
Some time ago, I visited a dentist and we ended up talking about living in Spain. I told him I tried it out and found it wasn’t for me.
The dentist replied, “You know, I should’ve moved to the US when I had the chance years ago. Biggest mistake of my life.”
This is an innate human emotion. People tend to want what they don’t have. That’s why many people fall for the “grass is greener” thinking flaw.
The key to overcoming it is to know what is and ISN’T for you.
The harsh truth is that we can’t always have every single thing we want. There is almost always a trade-off.
- Should I keep building up my savings for a couple more years to afford the downpayment on my dream house? Or should I use the money to buy the car I really want right now?
- Do I truly want to prioritize time with my kids, which means sacrificing my dream of becoming a high-level executive in my company?
- I’m craving to have some ice cream and chips right now, but I also want to look fit in a few weeks before hitting the beach. What should I do?
Humans have many desires, but our resources are finite. We can only chase after things that are truly important to us.
I talk more about this in my latest article.
↳ The ‘Grass is Greener’ Syndrome: A Thinking Flaw That Ruins Your Life
One interesting thing
Lately, I’ve been reading less. I think reading and acquiring knowledge is always good. But putting what you learn into practice matters equally.
As the historian, Will Durant, said in his book, Fallen Leaves: Last Words on Life, Love, War, and God;
“Nothing learned from a book is worth anything until it is used and verified in life; only then does it begin to affect behavior and desire. It is Life that educates, and perhaps love more than anything else in life.”
Life is our biggest teacher.
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this edition of Wise & Wealthy useful.
All the best,
Darius
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