What is the True Cost - Not to Invest?

What's the true cost - not to invest?

Yeh, Yeh, Blah, Blah -'Get me New York on the Phone' - 'You've got to speculate to accumulate' and all that ol' malarkey!
Sound familiar? er, no...
I do agree that we should be ever-evolving, ever-learning and ever-challenging our current existence & beliefs, so that we can acknowledge, evaluate and make informed decisions on our next steps and future choices.
Sadly, it seems that for some the last few decades have meant that they did not make informed decisions as such, they appear to have just gone along with whatever, just believed whatever it was that they heard, bought what they thought they should buy (irrelevant of whether they could actually afford it or not- to keep up with the Jones’s) and slot into whatever 'social group' they thought they belonged to. I appreciate that this can cause belonging, which is great :) but it has also caused a lot of stress and anxiety due to people being well above their comfort zones, just to keep their heads above water and to feel 'normal' within society.
As humans, we have many components, mostly good ones, lol, but mainly we want to be part of a 'pack' and have 'contribution' 'relevance' - in my opinion.
The way I see it is that perhaps if the general public where not so easily co-erced into buying de-valuing items, like a 50" TV, New Car off the Car Lot, a £1200 dog, etc - but were taught (ideally from early school age) how to buy assets, manage their money, accumulate money, for example how to secure a buy to let property or properties and how to leverage their money for financial gain, I.E, borrow on a credit card for the buy to let property deposit and such like.
The truth of it is, is that our society lives with a scarcity mindset, 'we can’t afford that’,’ there’s not enough of that', 'I’d better buy that now, before it runs out!' ‘I’d love to do that that but, I can't afford it'
There is a belief and a saying, that 'what we focus on we get' and that 'we don’t necessarily get what we want, but we always get what we expect or think we deserve’ I don’t know about you - but when I think back on those words, they ring true for me. I have constantly found that when I have been at a decision point and thought at any time, 'can I afford to do this?' - I have always immediately asked myself the question- 'can I afford NOT to do it?'
I always ask myself when I am in any doubt, 'can I afford not to do this', 'what will happen if I don’t', 'what wont happen if I don’t', 'what will happen if I do', and 'what wont happen if I do?' it is a bit of a mind-aaaargh!.....but it clarifies the answer, that is right for you!
I feel lucky that by using this technique I have been able to notice, acknowledge and be a part of many opportunities. I have bought the odd non-cash flowing purchase of course I have, but I do it with awareness and judgement on why I am doing it - am I buying a TV I can afford for fun and enjoyment only - Yes, I am :)
I mainly go by the 80/20 rule - 80% of the time I am thinking how can this purchase/ investment positively affect me? and the other 20% I am thinking- who cares-LET'S HAVE FUN! :)
I luuuuuuurve to have fun... love it... but not at the expense that means that MOST of my time I am having financial distress, & emotional discomfort!
What's the point?
For me, it is building a healthy 'blanket' 'nest egg' whatever you would like to call it - money that works for you-that’s your cushion or security.
Then, it's the money that you can develop, multiply and attract to you (in hopefully vast quantities)...
and then it's my favourite 'The Fun Fund’ Where the monies have been budgeting for in a 'for sheer enjoyment and no monetary return ethos' - Yay!
I would suggest when an opportunities come your way- and many do that we're not open to or aware of, before you pooh-pooh the idea ask yourself these four questions and then honestly, ask yourself whether it is a path to progression for you, or not?
For instance, you could like many people have-invested £20, 000+ to learn how to invest in property-and don’t get me wrong, knowledge is great, but how good is it as an investment if after the course you never put what you know into action or even worse, dabble for a bit and then give up!
Or, or...........
Picture this, pay about £15,000 for personal development training and then come out the other side in-debt, over-whelmed and disillusioned?????
What's the point?

Dr DeMartini has a saying which is ‘I appreciate my money and my money appreciates for me’ - Yay, it means his money grows for him, because he respects it!

I think if we look at the heading of this blog and ask ourselves 'can we afford, not to invest?' 'what is the true cost, not to invest?' it opens us up to possibilities, possibilities of what we may become or have, or do, be, etc - if we ask ourselves can we afford to invest in this?, probably we can come up with every lame and no so lame answer of why we can't and then we may settle into an unfulfilling belief and then existence :(

So, Next time you're on the fence- what are you going to do? - are you going to ask yourself the questions and hurl yourself whichever way the decision turns out to be OR are you going to stay on the cusp for a while balancing, keeping equilibrium and then gently dip into whatever side feels easier & more comfortable, at the time?

It's purely up to you, of course, but really? ......... ......................The trouble can be that being Comfortable can become really Un-Comfortable extremely quickly and then what have you got? an empty heart & an empty pocket :(

So think about the next offer you get, 'how can this serve me' 'how if I learn this can I help others’ or even ' this isn’t of any interest to me, but I know blah-blah would like it so I'll tell him'

Investment is an ongoing and ever-evolving process, we can only make what we think are wise choices and well intended actions to hopefully reap the benefits.

There will be learning ’s and mistakes along the way but that’s what's being human is about all! :)

Just remember, when you get a chance to invest, whether its time, money, emotion, creativity , power, whatever- ask yourself the four questions and then you should be able to shake hands or walk way without a backwards glance-absolutely, wholeheartedly!

Trust yourself & in my opinion, you'll be ok! :)

To Our Success!Loran