Back in 2021, I had just moved out to Canmore for a few months with my family.
And our rental house had a basic drip coffee machine.
After using it for about a week, I really wanted to get a Nespresso machine.
And I debated, because it did seem like an expensive and unnecessary splurge.
But my mom found a good deal on one, and I decided to pull the trigger.
The package was delivered to my door, I unboxed it, filled it with water, and carefully placed a pod into the machine.
And when that first stream of espresso came out of my beautiful Ferrari red machine, I was in heaven.
I then fired up the little milk frother, and poured the foamy milk right on top to make a latte.
It was so. Good.
Now, fast forward to 2023, after having my Nespresso machine for a couple of years.
These days, I’ve started to go to my friends’ place a lot, and they have the coolest coffee equipment.
A dedicated station with a sweet grinder and a sophisticated espresso machine with a proportional integral derivative controller, for the best tasting and most cafe-like espresso.
And their coffee is delicious. Like a 5 on 5.
And recently, I went home and noticed that I started to see my red Nespresso machine very differently.
I’d think:
“Ugh.
Nespresso.
It just doesn’t taste like at a cafe.
And I don’t have a proper milk wand, so I’ll never be able to make microbubble foam for latte art.”
Now, I hope you broke out a little violin to play for me, because I know this sounds ridiculous.
But I share this actual real-life scenario with you to illustrate a phenomenon that often kills our ability to create wealth.
It’s the phenomenon called lifestyle creep.
And it goes a little something like this:
Have a basic coffee machine.
Want a good French press.
Have a good French press.
Want Nespresso.
Have a Nespresso.
Want a high-end espresso machine.
Have a high-end espresso machine.
Want an even higher-end espresso machine.
Etc etc etc.
Lifestyle creep arises from the brain’s ability to relegate non-novel things to the background (hedonic adaptation), combined with our constant desire for more, and it can affect every single facet of our lives, from our home to our shoes, to our vacations.
So… how do we inoculate ourselves, when we have other goals we want to spend on, or save towards?
We make ourselves aware of lifestyle creep.
And we enlist our conscious minds.
We turn our attention to truly appreciating and wanting what we have.
Because there was a time that we really wanted that red Nespresso machine.
And all the reasons that we did, still stand.
And even though yes, there is even tastier espresso and more smooth milk out there, that beautiful stream of espresso, topped off with heated and foamed milk is a luxury and a delight.
When we do that, we stop the creep, we step off the treadmill, we enjoy the coffee, and we create wealth.
Xo
MT
P.S. There are a few components to being great at money, and they are as follows:
1. Develop and hone your ability to make money.
2. Learn to manage money to create your rich life.
3. Invest your money productively, to accelerate your path to financial freedom.
If you’re looking for help on one or all of these components, reach out.
I can help.