Written By Paula Pant
In mid-1700’s France, there lived an artist and writer on the brink of poverty.
His name was Denis Diderot.He had been born into an established family, the son of a successful craftsman, and he had obliged the social standing of his birth by pursuing a formal education. He obtained a Master of Arts in philosophy, and seemed bound for a respectable profession in clergy or law.
But Diderot dreamed of becoming a writer.
Written By Paula Pant
A few months ago, I interviewed a behavioral economist named Dr. Stephen Wendel on my podcast. He suggested an idea that’s so crazy it might work.
We were discussing the fact that people often stand in their own way; there’s a gap between intention and action. We know what we “should” do, but we don’t follow through. We procrastinate. We make excuses. We act against our own self-interests.
We have an image of our ideal self, we have the reality of our current self, and it’s harder than expected to bridge that divide. Why?
Most people try to figure out the problem. “Why can’t I stick to my goals?” But during our interview, Stephen turns this conventional wisdom on its head.
Maybe we should approach this as treatment first, diagnosis second.
He suggests that you try a handful of solutions. When you find the one that works, you’ll know the problem.
Written By Paula Pant
“My dreams feel impossible. Everything is so far away. Five more years until I pay off the car. Twelve more years until I pay off the house. Do I have to wait until I’m 50+ to enjoy life?”
______
Let’s say you have a goal that’s audacious and unconventional.
You want to create […]
Written By Paula Pant
Another month is over. Your bills have arrived.
You settle down on the couch, scanning through your statements. Sheesh. It happened. You’ve spent more money than you intended. Again.
You made a resolution. Maybe for New Year’s. Maybe on your birthday. Maybe on any random day of the year. You promised yourself that THIS […]
Written By Paula Pant
I used to be obsessed with optimizing.
I opened new checking accounts if a bank offered a $50 sign-up bonus. I monitored gas stations near me to know where fuel was 5 cents cheaper. I once wasted an hour to save $3.60.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I started making real progress once I figured out two truths:
#1: I […]
Written By Paula Pant
There are countless lazy articles on the Internet about how to save more money, 99.9% of which are detached from reality.
This is not one of those.
Everyday I get emails from readers that say things like:
“I want to travel / quit my job/ retire in 10 years. But I don’t have the […]
Written By Paula Pant
“I only earn enough to make the minimum payment on my loans.”
“My boss doesn’t pay me enough, so I can’t save a dime.”
“I’d love to quit my job, but I don’t think that’s realistic.”
The Naysayer Brigade makes statements like the examples above — statements that give power to their bosses and the economy, […]
Written By Paula Pant
Several weeks ago, I invited new email subscribers to share their answers to two deeply personal questions:
What’s your wildest dream, and what’s preventing you from getting there?
The answers poured in to a degree I couldn’t believe. My Inbox flooded with hopes and sorrows. Some people shared brief-but-honest answers; others wrote memoirs. People from all walks […]
Written By Paula Pant
“I’m scrounging dollars to fill my gas tank. I don’t make enough money to save. At the end of the month, there’s nothing left.”
If this feels like you, gear up for a radical shift that will change your life.
Last month I announced the One Percent Challenge, a quest for Afford Anything Rebels that can […]
Written By Paula Pant
Pop quiz: You’re buying airline tickets to visit grandma for the holidays. She lives on the other side of the nation, too far away to drive.
You’ve budgeted $400 for holiday travel, but you can’t find airfare for less than $575.
What do you do?
a) Tell grandma she’ll have to spend Christmas alone.
b) […]