1/ I love my immigrant parents for every opportunity they have provided me and for all the sacrifices they have made to push me farther.
However, as I continue progressing through adulthood, I find myself trying to unlearn most of the things they have taught me as a child.
However, as I continue progressing through adulthood, I find myself trying to unlearn most of the things they have taught me as a child.
2/ They taught me to scrimp and save every penny and never spend on "frivolous" things.
It made sense when they came with nothing and were just trying to survive in a new country. You can't help but hoard and imagine that one day it could all disappear.
It made sense when they came with nothing and were just trying to survive in a new country. You can't help but hoard and imagine that one day it could all disappear.
3/ But the truth I've come to internalize is that their scarcity mindset is an artificial barrier that prevents my growth.
It hurts to type this because I know the struggle and pain they went through that I'll never fully experience and understand.
It hurts to type this because I know the struggle and pain they went through that I'll never fully experience and understand.
4/ Every year, I spend thousands on resources that aid my personal development and health: conferences, books, courses, coaches, physical products.
5/ I just spent a few hundred dollars for a weekend long Annual Review workshop by @fortelabs and @david_perell.
If I told my parents about this, they'd laugh in my face. "You spent money on that? Why not read a free article, and let that money compound in Vanguard?"
If I told my parents about this, they'd laugh in my face. "You spent money on that? Why not read a free article, and let that money compound in Vanguard?"
6/ Sure I could. But with a few hours of this workshop, I've already leveled up my annual review with additional questions I've never thought about, created a template that I'll use and improve every single year, and put myself in a position to better plan for future years.
7/ I replaced my mattress with an @eightsleep Pod (thanks @mrsharma for the code hookup!) that learns about my sleeping patterns and auto-adjusts the bed temperature to match my body temperature throughout the night.
Luxury purchase? Hell yeah it is.
Luxury purchase? Hell yeah it is.
8/ My parents would flip a table if they found out. "You spent that much money on a smart mattress? Wear a sweater to bed or buy a fan you f*cking idiot!"
9/ Sure, but now I sleep better, feel more energized throughout my day, and produce better work output. Sleep is one of the most important variables to optimize. Thinking about the expensive price as a cost is incorrect. It's a long-term investment that pays dividends every day.
10/ As a founder now, it's been even more critical to change this scarcity mindset into an abundance mindset.
At times, there is value in the scarcity mindset. It manages burn and forces creativity with scrappier solutions.
At times, there is value in the scarcity mindset. It manages burn and forces creativity with scrappier solutions.
11/ But learning to spend now (without an immediate ROI) to delegate more gets more accomplished long-term vs. trying to handle every possible task ourselves.
12/ Think carefully about the values your parents have embedded in you throughout your childhood. Understand your insecurities and how they've manifested in your adulthood life.
Some are valuable to keep forever.
Others need to be let go.
Some are valuable to keep forever.
Others need to be let go.
