Tackling an Instant Gratificationist
I was walking around Ghent with a grand of cash in my pocket yesterday (all from legit dealings, rest assured). I had to keep texting my Girrel for some moral support along the way to the bank as I was highly tempted to blow half of it on treats for myself. She jokingly reminded me of the kid's college fund which really didn't help the matter. The argument that finally kept my hand from fondling my pocket, was that this money would substantially alleviate our travel-fund issues.
We've not seen each other for 7 weeks now and will not see each other for another 3. Whilst this is largerly due to time/work arrangements, the financial factor most certainly contributed.
It made me think about how I deal with finances. I've always had a love/hate relationship with money. I can run a really tight ship when needs be, but when I have cash in hand, I feel it buys me the luxury of not having to think. The freedom of temporarily not having to weigh off choices. And freedom is still one of the life-options I value most.
But then... I have lists. Lists of things I want to do. Places I want to go to. Personal projects I want to fund and materialise. I wonder if I will ever cross those of my list if I keep giving into instant gratification. Because if I do, their realisation will depend on luck. Luck of accidentally having enough cash at that certain point in time to do them.
I guess what it really comes down to is making my financial considerations less abstract. Rather than saving for some distant future or vague potential rainy days, I ought to attach visualisable labels to my budgets:
- a month outdoorsiness in Alaska
We've not seen each other for 7 weeks now and will not see each other for another 3. Whilst this is largerly due to time/work arrangements, the financial factor most certainly contributed.
It made me think about how I deal with finances. I've always had a love/hate relationship with money. I can run a really tight ship when needs be, but when I have cash in hand, I feel it buys me the luxury of not having to think. The freedom of temporarily not having to weigh off choices. And freedom is still one of the life-options I value most.
But then... I have lists. Lists of things I want to do. Places I want to go to. Personal projects I want to fund and materialise. I wonder if I will ever cross those of my list if I keep giving into instant gratification. Because if I do, their realisation will depend on luck. Luck of accidentally having enough cash at that certain point in time to do them.
I guess what it really comes down to is making my financial considerations less abstract. Rather than saving for some distant future or vague potential rainy days, I ought to attach visualisable labels to my budgets:
- a month outdoorsiness in Alaska
- a downhilling MTB holiday in Norway
- a trip to Iceland (volcano/glaciers/aurora borealis)
- growing old and still being able to go to Betty's for breakie each Sunday with my Girrel
- being able to work 4/5ths and use the remain 3 days of the week to work on "Project#1"
- a christmas in Lapland
- a lomo Horizon Perfect camera
- a new digital camera
- money for knee/hip surgery on my 50th
- a university degree in Mathematical Biology
- a course in Philosophy and Economics
- money to not have to compromise on a job I love doing
- an internship in the Santa Fe Institute
- three-weekly trips to see my Girrel, until we've figured out how we can be together
- 6 months' sabbatical to go volunteering
- funding to set up Project #2
- work for a think-tank for a year
- money for a flash hearing aid for my right ear on my 35th ;-)
- a safety net, to buy peace of mind, and never HAVING TO
- pay off the mortgage
-...
I bought myself some new finance software a few weeks back. And I know what I need to do now. Visualise. Render the abstract into concrete visuals. There's no need to set deadlines. Deadlines are deterrents. The visuals in itself ought to be motivation enough to stick with it.
I bought myself some new finance software a few weeks back. And I know what I need to do now. Visualise. Render the abstract into concrete visuals. There's no need to set deadlines. Deadlines are deterrents. The visuals in itself ought to be motivation enough to stick with it.
posted by Dr.Pew @ 8:03 am
1 comments
1 Comments:
Babe, don't forget the trip to Dollyland, my new bikes - em, your new bikes, a weekend away for some colonic irrigation, and so the list continues by my lunch is nearly up ;-)
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