I was recently talking with a colleague. He was lamenting the challenges of getting on the property ladder. Unsurprisingly, he was frustrated by the cost of renting while at the same time saving for a mortgage deposit. Additionally, he noted that property prices continue to rise with no sign of abating. He was somewhat jealous that I own my home with no mortgage. He chose, at least in that moment, to ignore that I am almost thirty years older than he is. My days of saving and then paying off a mortgage are long gone. It is, though, a modern challenge. There are different expectations now. And, realistically, expectations change and evolve. It did, though, get me thinking. With so many options for spending our money, our time, our energy, what are you willing to sacrifice for better?
Firstly, what do I mean by better? Better, for me, is anything that moves me from where I am now to where I want to be. What, though, does it mean for you? Indeed, what exactly does it mean for you?
In the case of my colleague, better is about being on the property ladder. Stepping up from the rental market, living often at the whim of a landlord, and becoming a homeowner. It’s a big step.
For others, it can be about better health, a different job, a new relationship. Anything that moves us from where we are to where we want to be.
Secondly, how do you measure better? For some things it is really easy. For my colleague, getting the keys to a property which he is purchasing would be a sign of success. Landing or starting a new job is simple to quantify.
However, for other things it can be a challenge. I’ve spoken in the past about avoiding generalisations such as being healthier, richer, happier. All so vague. Therefore, you have to work out what that means exactly, precisely, for you.
And then, thirdly, what about the cost, the sacrifice? Does there really have to be one? I think there does. It may be about money. It may be about time. And, of course, it could be about energy. We all only have so much of each. Again, some of our better may be really easy to get. If so, do it now! Make it happen.
Obviously, moving to something or somewhere better may not feel like sacrifice at all. Potentially, it’s simply about shifting time and focus from things which are less important to things which really matter. Alternatively, you may have the resources to do everything you want to do to get to that better. If this is the case then, is there really any sacrifice at all?
Going back to the example of buying a house, for many, and it may be you as well, there does have to be some give and take. Few have the money to simply buy a house outright. Some may have the money for a deposit. However, for most I think it’s a question of saving and making it happen. This may involve sacrifice. Fewer or no holidays. Maybe no nights out. Keeping the (rented) house a little cooler. You get the idea.
And when you make those sacrifices, you’re weighing up what matters. Crucially, you’re weighing up what matters more. Suddenly, those sacrifices no longer feel like such. They simply become part of the process of moving from where you are to where you want to be. Realistically, there are no sacrifices. All you are doing is prioritising what matters to you because you’re focussing on your better. And you’re doing it because it is exactly that. It is better.
So, if you know what to do next, do it now. It you’re not sure, book a free initial consultation here and then take the next step. You know that you can do it, and you know that it makes sense, don’t you?