Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality

There is a powerful mindset or mentality that can affect the decisions we make and the financial habits we adopt. Fortunately the Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality can go both directions. More common is how the “I deserve it” mentality that many people followed took them in the wrong financial direction. Maybe you have felt some of the following. At least you have heard and seen other people make negative impacting financial choices:

I have worked hard and deserve this fill in the blank no matter what it cost.

For many people this seems to pop up more often when finances are actually tight for some reason. I have had instances of this powerful voice. Especially when I was on vacation. Something that I would never consider buying or paying for when looking at the cost suddenly seems OK.

I have to admit that I had a few instances of this when seeing the latest and greatest tool or a classic hot rod for sale.  It happens when I think the price really good. I have to step back and ask myself why I want it so badly. Fortunately financial-reason prevails.

Everyone else gets to, I deserve to fill in the blank.

This is usually the start of someone trying to keep up with the Joneses. I have had feelings of envy when someone shows off their latest purchase that I think is just too cool. But then I find out it is usually heavily financed or came at the expense of saving. Once I see what it really cost then that feeling leaves me.

I deserve to live a little now. It is not worth always holding back now for an unknown tomorrow.

I could get hit by a bus tonight. This is a common and powerful mentality that can keep people from reaching their financial goals. I did have thoughts of this when someone close to me passed away. Also when the economic market collapse stripped a huge percentage of my savings away.

It was really more a case of sadness. Sadness mixed with anger and eventually coming to terms with the fact that in life crap happens and then getting over it.

Many people don’t come to terms with the negative power of the “I deserve it” mentality and blindly head in the wrong financial direction.

The Positive Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality

When Used the Right Way

 Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality

 

As powerful as the “I Deserve it” mentality is starting folks down a negative financial path. IF it is flipped around it is just as powerful to help people make positive impacting financial choices:

 

I work hard and deserve the financial independence that I am working toward and have planned for.

When I was on the financial independence journey I was working toward a concept or dream of the life I wanted to live. I couldn’t live it right then or know exactly what it would be like but the dream was very convincing based on all the information I had, knowing how I wanted to live my life and what I believed to be true.

Whenever I did question whether my concept or dream was realistic and worthy of staying the course all I had to do was say to myself that I sure know how crappy the impacts are of making bad financial decisions. Those are certainly known.

Telling myself that I deserve this for being financially responsible when tracking statements and budget was a great motivator.

Everyone else gets to, I deserve to have a happy life and concentrate on what really makes me happy.

That is how I flipped this to my advantage. Too many people believe that stuff is their happiness but those on a financial independence quest know better. What the Jones have doesn’t mean it will bring us happiness.

Even when I would falter I could easily come back to the truth that stuff isn’t necessarily going to have a happiness value. For example, when people would talk about all the movie channels or sports channels their $120+ a month TV service gave them I could easily think to myself that I don’t need that to be happy.

Focusing on the happiness quotient and realizing that I don’t need the stuff others brag about to be happy is the perfect “keeping up with the Joneses” antidote.

I deserve to live a little now.

This happens to be true. If I started feeling deprived for some reason I could figure out what it was that crossed my frugal threshold and make minor adjustments. Living a smart-frugal and balanced life isn’t an all or nothing lifestyle. Although for me the trigger for this was usually something bad that had happened.

If I just say I deserve to reach my goals while living the best life I can I then flip this to my advantage. Rather than throwing in the towel and giving in, the power of the positive Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality is focusing on your goals.

Not by succumbing to the temptations of irresponsible financial decisions. Like going nuts with spending and accumulating stuff or shallow experiences that brings only short-term pleasure and a lifetime of cost to keep or live with.

Conclusion.

You can unlock your full financial potential by redirecting the power of the Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality to the positive direction so to align with your financial independence goals.

A financial independence journey starts with an idea, then you develop this concept or dream of what financial independence will be like. You then commit to your plan and when negative “I deserve it” thoughts challenge your plans you flip it to your advantage.

I can tell you financial independence is all that you dreamed and more because a weight is lifted and a sense of freedom that cannot be explained is experienced every day.

Have you felt the “I Deserve it” mentality or have been negatively affected by it?

If you experienced it and overcame it can you share how you did it?

2 thoughts on “Financial Impact of an I Deserve it Mentality

  1. Its the same way with diets. You think you deserve to eat a bunch of high-cal garbage because you worked out. I have a friend who constantly spends money on stupid crap saying he deserves it for whatever reason. His wife does the same. I haven’t used I-deserve-it for staying on budget but I might have to tell myself that once I get my end of year financial statements because I do deserve it.

    1. Thanks for the comment Franklin. The reason I wrote this post was because I was grateful for being in the financial position I am in and remembering what it took to get here. And Yes, saying to myself I do Deserve it.

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