I remember putting together a video ad promoting a new product and it talked about how I’d spent well over $100,000 on my business, marketing, and personal development education. And someone responded with, “bull crap” (I cleaned that up for you).
If I’m being totally honest – not like I wasn’t before – that number climbs higher each year. I don’t know if I’m at $200,000 yet, because I haven’t sat down and done the math, but every year I buy multiple Kindles, take multiple courses, and pay for coaching. So, it’s not like that figure has ever stayed stationary.
You can call me out on that, that’s fine. Because this isn’t about me. I think the issue is really that artists don’t see themselves investing that amount in their own growth, so they think it’s strange when someone else does.
And yeah, it is a different way of looking at things. But if you hadn’t figured this out already, I’m kind of a different guy. And the thing I know about artists is we’re all a little eccentric. It’s why we do what we do, and at the end of the day, I think it’s beautiful that we’re so expressive with our thoughts and emotions. That’s what makes us great artists.
But so long as there’s a price that’s too high, or a workload that’s too great, or a discomfort threshold we can’t overcome, we can never overcome ourselves, you see. We might still make progress in the world, but at every turn we will still be hindered by ourselves. Because there’s an arbitrary threshold, we’re not willing to cross.
So long as there’s a price that’s too high, or a workload that’s too great, or a discomfort threshold we can’t overcome, we can never overcome ourselves. Click To TweetAt some point, it’s just too much money, too much work, or too much discomfort. We want to turn and hide.
And the thing you need to understand is that this is what it means to be human. Trust me – everyone has times when they want to run.
One day, we’re walking along as adults, everything is going fine, and suddenly, we’re triggered and revert to little whiny kids. I’ve watched this happen in some of the programs I’ve taken – programs where some of the sharpest, most ambitious people gather.
So, what’s crucial to know is that while it’s not all about some arbitrary monetary figure, if you think any price is too high, you’re going to put a ceiling on your growth and success.
“I’m willing to do that, but I will never do this.”
We can measure money. We can measure workloads in the number of to-do items and projects you’re tackling, although I would still argue this is a little elusive. We can’t measure discomfort at all. It’s just something you feel internally, and no one else can feel exactly what you’re feeling.
The thing I want you to see is that you might be trying to put a quantity to things that no one can really measure. And if you’re in that realm, trust me, you’re not going to go the distance, because at some point, the price will just be too high.
Right now, I’m standing in the outcome that I can invest in courses and programs costing $2,000. Because I am just that excited about what more I can learn and discover, and what I can bring back to you as a nugget of insight.
And while I could probably find those programs as torrent files somewhere, I know I’m not going to value it as much. Because I haven’t invested in it.
We don’t value what we don’t pay for, at least not to the same extent we value what we do pay for.
We don’t value what we don’t pay for, at least not to the same extent we value what we do pay for. Click To TweetIf you’re getting stuck in your career, or if you’re bargaining with the price, do some looking. Take some time to journal. What are you unwilling to do? Because whatever you are unwilling to do, chances are you will end up having to do it to get to where you want to go.
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