"Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving" - Warren Buffett
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone" - Henry David Thoreau
Living within your means is one of those super powers hiding in plain sight. As the quotes above suggest, it simply means not spending more than you can preserve, or save. This is most commonly discussed in regards to personal finances, but has every bit of relevancy in regards to the output to preservation ratio we maintain in personal relationships, career choices, social commitments, etc.
This is an "addition by subtraction" concept. Our tendency as humans is to increase consumption and have immediate gratification. A.k.a "addition by addition". This is ok and necessary to a degree, but as a Swedish proverb goes: "he who buys what he does not need steals from himself".
What is this important for me? If you adopt the discipline of living within your means, you will invite a lot of peace into your life. Our monkey minds are wired to go 100 mph all day every day, which can lead us to stay on a never ending hedonic treadmill of "more". Try leaving some meat on the bone--save a little more than you think you need to, pass on a few more social commitments than you usually do, take 5 minutes a day to meditate/do nothing. You'll have profound outcomes.
"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say 'no' to almost everything." - Warren Buffett
Comments