🏠🤝⏳ Why Make Better Trades
Our most precious currency
Dear Why Team member,
I hope this week’s message finds you well and making better trades.
Since the beginning of time, we learned commerce, that if we don’t have something we want, we may be able to pay or trade with others to get what we want. And I think we can all agree that the primary currency of our life is our time; it’s incredibly precious and limited. How are we trading our valuable time - what are we getting for the time we’re giving?
It occurred to me at the beginning of this New Year that if I am to become more in ‘24, I must make better trades.
Recently, I was moving quickly on an objective I set a year ago to purchase a new home this Spring. My excitement got the best of me as I was barreling forward pouring all my valuable life currency into the objective without logically considering all the facts. Big decisions in life are best not made hastily.
In fact, this experience has changed my word for the year from ‘FUN’ to ‘WAIT’. Interestingly enough, my father sent me a text out of the blue while I was in the thick of it, sharing a verse from Psalms:
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” - Psalms 27:14
No doubt this verse contributed to my waking up. Many years ago, I remember walking with my mother- through a new home that I had just purchased and sharing with her how I never thought I would live in a home like this. I remember like it was yesterday where we were standing when she turned around, placing her hand on my chest, she looked me in the eyes and said, ‘you waited’.
I did make an offer on this new house and fortunately the sellers aggressively counter offered. This gave me cause to pause, to rethink my decision, consider more the valuable expenditure of my lifetime. Fortunately, life conspired to lengthen my fuse long enough for me to pinch it out before the dynamite blew. Just a few days after all this went down, I spent a day with my good friend and coach Dr. Roger Hall - who after I shared the story with him said “Steve, you’re a stick of dynamite, a man of action and passion. And all the work you’ve done has helped lengthen your fuse.”
I could not be more grateful for the deal falling through - what’s that old saying: be grateful for unanswered prayers?!!
As I slowed down, I began to see all the reasons why now was not the time. How it was frankly, a very poor trade of my time, energy, and resources. The new home was too early in regard to my vision for the future. The uprooting and replanting of my life would completely disrupt my life, redirecting my valuable life currency away from people and activities that right now are far more important and rewarding.
I took more time to simply ask ‘Why?’
And ‘Why Now?’.
You see, it wasn’t the purchase price that was the greatest expense, but rather the price of my lifetime, the time of my life that would be expended to make the move. From this perspective I could see it was a less than optimal trade. The trade was not aligned with my highest aspirations.
It is an interesting thing to contemplate the value of coaches and mentors. We often focus on how they have spurred us to take positive action in our lives - so much so that we under appreciate how their wisdom has protected us from the poor decisions in our life. It’s difficult to quantify the enormous savings we experience from not making decisions.
Do you ask more often ‘what does it cost?’ or do you ask, ‘what do I get?’
Hmm, attending more to the value we get versus the cost we pay will improve our trades.
This week’s message includes deep gratitude for all my coaches and mentors who have helped me lengthen my fuse.
I love being a stick of dynamite, but I want it to blast through mountains for building roads to a better future, serving others - not be a harm to anyone, especially those I love.
To become more in ‘24, your BEST YEAR EVER, consider more the trades you are making with your precious life’s currency. Notice more the value you receive for the attention you pay. And consider hiring others to extend your fuse so that your power is better aligned with your values.
BOOM 💣💥
Make it a great week!
Steve Luckenbach