With lots of money and a ton of mimetic influence, you can find yourself as a "winner" who actually LOSES all the time, without even realizing.
Btw I can tell this is going to be LONG. Read only if you care about living a GOOD life.
Not "how much" money you have, but "how you spend it" makes ALL the difference. This is why you can come across an old money family member, young, whose family lost a huge % of their wealth - but they still know how to live, what to spend on, how to enjoy it all. It's a training. And there's no course for it - except this post, which might serve as an opening if you're fortunate.
It's all about CONSUMPTION mindset vs GENERATIVE mindset, when it comes to it.
A clear example of this is the new type of online money bros. ALL they do is to consume. It's so blatant and annoying at the same time. They just take one more step in the consumer cycle and think that's "living".
Upgrading from Rolex to Royal Oak to Nautilus as your money goes up, paying for more expensive Airbnbs as you go, upgrading the car.. all are good and feels great, sure. But it's just the same fucking consumption cycle of one step above - you're literally on the same ladder, you're being the sheep and don't even realize it.
Now, 95% of those types won't even get what I'm saying here. They think I'm shitting on everyone liking and doing the same things (look up Girard, n1qq4) out of some other reason.. but that's not it. The reason is simple: Money is so fucking good, it's so generative.
You know how some people (because they only know how to make a dollar and not build a real business) ONLY focus on revenue, and never on the equity value they're building? Like, you literally work 10 hours a day for 5 years to make $20M - the other guy puts in the same work, but does it in a vehicle that he can exit, puts the same amount of profit as you do each year, but sells the company after 5 yrs for $100M.. Which means - his hourly rate is 5x of yours, just because you didn't get this valuable piece of information. That is CRAZY, think about it.
That's exactly the same thing with the consumer mindset vs generative mindset, when it comes to SPENDING money. You're leaving SO MUCH on the table, because your mind is filled with other n1gg4s' insta flex images, instead of knowing who you are & following what you really like, want to see in the world, wonder/wander.. It's mostly bc these people literally are uneducated with no culture or good influences, and that's ok, no need to talk shit about them bc they can't ever change.
When I write this, some people will think I'm talking about giving money to people, helping your family out, or investing it, etc - that is NOT what I mean. Your mind's eye is hypnotized by rap songs, shitty business books you haven't even read but assume the content by seeing its title and 4-pic flexing pinterest photo tweets bro. That's why once you buy the thing, once you spend that money, the enjoyment, value, fun, good feelings you get from the thing DIMINISHES over time - but it should either GROW or stay the same, at least.
When I see those weird "art" in people houses, like glossy phagggy teddy bear statues, or monopoly money style art, or LED lights with weird ghaé "motivational" text on it.. I almost want to puke man. Some of these people got it very good, very fortunate even though you put the work in.. but really don't know how to spend in a generative way. And believe me, you won't attract the right people and you're taking away from what could be a fucking joy, if you only knew..
I'll give some examples because those are needed for sure. I'll try to keep it as non-personal as possible to me for the sake of privacy, but you'll get the point.
Have you ever emailed a person you're really inspired by and asked to take them out to a dinner? I'm not talking about DMing a bro figure and paying for coaching. This could be a fiction author that you love that you've read ever since you've been a kid. Join their circle and take a workshop.
Everyone here posting and LARPing as Alexander this, Napoleon that.. have you ever visited their graves (can't do that for Alexander, but you get the point) or visited the places these people lived in? To soak up in the energy, to build that myth up + real in your mind?
From what I can tell, then people travel, it's always some ~10-12 destinations in the world, which is okay again, do whatever the fuck you want. I'm not the one living your life. But most people around here do NOT live in places that have rich historical places to visit. Or when they travel, they stay at the Ritz for full two weeks and mostly run around to take IG pics, instead of learning a word or two in the local language, understand the culture, etc. I even know people who LIVED in different cities like that for a long long time and still can't tell you their best local food or wine, etc, haven't even CONSIDERED it. They're just hopping from an Airbnb to Airbnb, that's also why when it gets old FAST - because you're not LIVING it, truly EXPERIENCING it. I'm not talking about this from an elitist perspective - not from a "travel bro" perspective where they jump on camels and visit the shittiest part of every country to feel like "local". Fuck that.
There's a reason why "rich people" drink wine, listen to jazz, etc.. because those kind of things slowly unfold over time, if you can refine your taste enough, the amount of enjoyment you get from them INCREASES and never really ends. Unless you do this, it's no different than being the 40 year old guy who goes to the club and spends racks, while he gets 5% of the enjoyment he got when he started decades ago, but doesn't know anything else to do & the money he wastes always increases. This is why Dan Bilzerian types are suicidal.
Back to the examples.
If you come across an artist you really like, commission a custom painting or artwork, or buy their art. Obvious patronage shit that means something. If you like a blogger, pay them to write a book or an essay, or get it translated to your language if you're an English as 2nd lang guy.
You can actually pay academics to teach you stuff. Not calculus or anything, if there's an era you like or a person, etc - talk to them about it. Even 80 y.o emeritus/tenure ppl know how to use Zoom now, some won't even charge you.
If there's a local (or worldwide, doesn't matter) community that you like, support it. Join their events as a guest of honor if they invite, be helpful.
If your family is coming from a specific city but you've never been.. Go, bro. Buy a property if you can. You're literally cut off from your roots without building up your lore and FEELING it. That's why nationalism, etc are so easy to sell - bc ppl want to belong and have no roots. Capitalism.
Mentor some kids from your high school, take them out to dinner, actually give a fuck and listen without giving advice, be of help and use, be a big bro to them.
Buy the 1st print signed copy of your fav book. Fund a research project. Give a grant. Host some gatherings (good way to book an Airbnb hahaha). Get your grandparents' and parents' memories recorded and turn it into a private podcast to keep it for yourself & kids forever. Get your family ancestry fully researched in detail & presented to you. Make a custom perfume w an expert that represents exactly you. Give very thoughtful gifts. Get a documentary made about something.
When you travel, try to engage with the local life and understand and live the culture more, stay for longer times instead of consumptionmaxxing hotel hoppers. Ideally, get a local helper/guide to show you around, etc. Whatever man, you get the idea. Most of these examples, I just made up. Some of them, I've already done or a version of them, some, still on my list. What's important is to stay in that mindspace.
I don't want to deal with low IQ ppl who'll focus too much on the examples I'm sharing here. See the underlying formula, the real message. Spending money not in a consumption mindset only, but also doing it in a generative way. To know yourself, explore yourself & the world better, to unlock real venues of refined and growing taste.. Better, finer things in life that you can only access w this mindset.
You'll realize these not only take money, but also knowing yourself, expending energy and thought - the opposite of being a mimetic clone of someone & simplistic consumption.
I understand it might be hard to come up with ideas. Sit down and try to make a list of 20 ideas like that, and your mind will just repeat what you've seen from others, very consumptive or repetitive stuff. It's because you don't actually track what interests you, creates wonder, etc inside you. When you're faced with a question, if it's not "practical", you skip it - instead of coming up with a creative way to fulfill it. So ultimately, this is the best fucking thing to do to live a fulfilling life. Idk man, use ChatGPT to ideate if you need but do it. Otherwise you'll always be one of them & the real beauty of life won't be unlocked, you're fucking up your chances badly.
Ever since I started to view money from that generative lense, a new world opened up for me. I don't even talk about most of this things to even people around me, you don't need to. Sometimes it's even more fun to do it that way. Eccentric life loving billionaire energy can't be beaten.
If you're in your 20s, as I am, you sort of get a pass. Youth is for spending, even wasting money in some cases. Doing it might be better than not doing it, being timid, if it's done through suppressing your aliveness. Being rageful and partying and all that actually FITS the youthful energy - to a degree, depending on who you are. But as you get older, say late 20s and up (if you've had money for some time, at least), it's just.. very off. And again - this is not for OTHER people, which everyone's minds seem to flock to. This is not to create a better appearance - that's the wrong meta look anyways. It is for refining your pleasures, which means, an increase of not 10-20% but 10-20x would be possible, and you have to plant the seeds. Believe me it'll get only harder.
Again, it's your fucking life & do as you please. I truly don't give a fuck. But if I had someone to give me (unrequested) advice when I was younger and started to earn more, etc - this would be one of them and almost nobody talks about this shit. Only quality families with money teach their kids stuff like that. And if you don't learn this, you can't give it to your kid. And he'd have to follow a fucking frog profile picture guy on Twitter to learn from ahahah..
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