In every choice there are two elements of the equation, pain and pleasure. In this lies one of the great secrets of life: we have the free agency to choose which one comes first with the great caveat, the element not selected will always come second and last longer. Let me say it another way, the element we choose first has a short duration and the second element will last far longer.
Here is what I mean; not long after I was introduced to this principle I was driving home from Seattle to Portland with a few colleagues. A short distance into the drive I pulled over to get some gas. I broke from the lively discussion on this very topic to go into the quickie mart and proceeded to buy a 44 ounce soda and a 3-packer of cupcakes. You know the really healthy Hostess type. Back in the car and two and half cupcakes down it dawned on me that I had just scheduled pleasure (sugar high) first with the pain (gut ache and life of flab if continued) to follow. What was just as eye opening was that it did not matter whether I was aware of the principle or not. It is a mechanism or principle that functions just the same.
What if I had scheduled pain first by way of water and a Power Bar? Consequently I would have benefitted from long lasting energy and a show stopping six-pack, pleasure! Far better decision.
This principle is highly active and visible in personal finance. I can schedule the pleasure (new outfit from Nordstrom’s) now and the pain (lack of savings for retirement and/or college fund for children) will most certainly follow and last well beyond the awe inspiring confidence of some new digs.
Where in your life are you ignorantly scheduling pleasure first, unaware that a long period of pain is waiting to pounce?
Take an inventory of your personal finances and identify at least one change you could make today by reversing the order of pleasure and pain.
From experience, the short term pain of saying “no” results in long lasting pleasure in the form of great peace and possibility.
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