#6 Building New Habits: My Race Car

Ok, full disclosure: I wrote this post below and then realized I had never actually been in a lambo.  So for the purposes of blog integrity I did some field research per the photo above at a grand total cost of one afternoon some resourcefulness, and about $100.  Zoom zoom 😉 

Let’s pretend I had a dream.  I just stepped out of this overcast and somewhat dank maze where I was working for others to achieve my financial independence and now I am walking toward this brighter day of working for myself to achieve happiness.  But this path while sunny is also amorphous.  There in front of me appears a Lamborghini with the doors open like little wings.  This represents my independence.  I gas up the Lambo by putting my intelligence and/or work ethic into the tank.  I know myself and this is my roadmap.  I know what I want and this is the road.  I am dedicated and these are the tires that keep me on the road.  Beautiful scenery unfolds along this road which is my list of adventures that I want to do along the way.  If I have this I am ready to drive.  Then I wake up from this dream and I think, this metaphor is lame but these things are really important so maybe you will bear with this metaphor to hear how I am factoring these things into designing my new lifestyle:

Independence = The Car:

Ok it doesn’t have to be a Lambo, heck I am not even a car guy and I love my manual transmission Honda Accord.  But the car is independence.  This is getting free financially or otherwise.  In the startup community financial independence is known as getting your “f-you money”.  Get it and you can give the middle finger to the crap that you do not want in your life.  Of course it’s a little more nuanced than that but I’ve spent most of the last few articles on the complexities so you get the idea.

Your Intelligence or Work Ethic = The Gas:

Intelligence or work ethic, the or is important.  More of one of these is a substitute for the other but without it you go nowhere.  The “idle rich” is an apt moniker for those that have the car but no gas.  They just sit there idling at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.  I truly believe that a better life is not one away from working and toward some life of leisure, but rather one away from working for other people and toward working for yourself.  If you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer don’t despair, the differences in our intelligence as people are very slight and you can more than make up for this with work ethic (think Forrest Gump).  Some of the most successful people in the world worked their asses off because someone told them they were not good enough.  Hell that may be me. 

Knowing Yourself = The Map:

knowing myself, without it I am lost.  I am working on this one through journaling, and exercises on emotional awareness.  What are my strengths and in what way can I apply myself that is gratifying and aligns with who I am.        

Knowing What You Want = The Road:

Even as kids, my sister knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.  Knowing this, she was able to follow the road to get it and she did.  Where do I see myself in 5 years, what about 10?  If I don’t know, then there is no road.  I am working on this one.  What is important for you?  I know that for me, challenges, and setting then achieving goals is important for me to feel successful.  I know that I want to have deeper relationships in my life and that this means having the space to foster them.  I know that for the first 20 years of my adult life, the road was around building the foundation of a great career, marriage, and family.  This website is about me now taking some time to try some additional adventures and find what I want next.    

Dedication / Discipline = The Tires:

dedication / discipline without it you can’t steer, you lose control, you go off course.  Accumulating wealth is simple, make more than you spend.  Losing weight and getting fit is simple, eat less and exercise every day.  But the results come slow, and it is very tempting to cheat.  Especially when we stumble.  These tires will keep me on course.  They are essential.

Your Dreams = The Scenery:

I have a bucket list of dreams and adventures that I want to do.  While this alone does not make a happy or contented life, the road can be drab without scenery.  The scenery changes as it should to keep things from getting boring.  A list of dreams and adventures does the same. Creating this list, is the first step to doing it.

This race car metaphor may work for you, or you may prefer your own. However, it does highlight the importance of:

• Independence
• Intelligence / Work Ethic
• Knowing Yourself
• Knowing What You Want
• Dedication / Discipline
• Your Dreams

With these things in mind, I feel ready. I made the decision… I just left my job.