In our last article we spoke about how principles can provide you with benefits. If we aren’t carefull we stand alone with our principles without anything to show for it.
One of the principles that can hurt you is constantly worrying about what others think about you and what you are doing. If your goal is becoming financially free of all the worries you shouldn’t be bothered about what others think. When you are 20 to 35 years old you shouldn’t care about driving an old (but reliable) car, rent a small appartment instead of an expensive one, do whatever it requires. Our parents supported us in our life, but they have their own opinion. They might prefer to see you driving in a brand new car to see that you are doing well. If you haven’t got the money for it and going to borrow for it, you aren’t doing well, you are just pretending you are.
An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it. – Orlando Aloysius Battista
When we have a certain principle it shows who we are if we can stick to them no matter what happens. However if we sense that some problem would arise if we blindly follow it consider adjusting. Any principle can cause issues if you continue to abide by them without room for change. For example if you refuse to spend money on stuff you should pay attention what they are required for. If your health requires a certain purchase your should distant yourself from your principle for now.
Most principles can be good and bad. It will mainly turn bad if you aren’t capable, or willing, to adapt your principle for a short time. One of the principles you could live by is that you want to be self-sufficient and that you don’t accept any help from anyone. It’s admirable that you want to work for it yourself. However there are moments that you have to accept help both for your good and for the people around you. The place where help is required is at your job. When something difficult comes up it’s most time efficient if you ask for help if you know you would struggle on something a colleague would find the solution for in a matter of seconds.