Becoming obessed with property and money

[auckland investor]

All I can think about all day and night is saving money, investing and making money.

I am becoming a bit obessed with the whole subject and I don't particularly like it as it is getting me down and I can't stop thinking about it to enjoy the day.

I can't help thinking about the future and how good I picture it with my investments but when I look at my situation now, I'm only starting out and all I have is money in a savings account at my bank.

How do I enjoy now?

[AMR]

Haha!

Join APIA, meet a nice girl, have family. And then start investing together.

On a more serious note you find that your mindset will realign after your first purchase.

[Orkibi]

All I can think about all day and night is saving money, investing and making money.

Auckland investor, you are not alone on this one.

Many people who have ambitions and wanting to achieve there financial goals feeling like that especially when starting up.

The solution's could be to have a plan and take action, then you know you are on the way for achieving your financial goals. (so you don't panic)

So you know, it takes time and hard work and success not going to happen over night.

-- SO Give yourself a brake and don't be too hard on yourself.

Also so you know: every successful person is 200% committed to his work and success - perhaps obsess and passionate about his work.
you cannot be successful without this.

Join APIA, meet a nice girl, have family. And then start investing together.

APIA is a must, meet a partner yes could be, Start a family...

If you are young, best start before you have family as things change when you do have small kids to consider or pay bills for.-- star as early as possible.

Again - set up your goals and plans and take action - give yourself a break - you are doing well if you follow your plan.

Last but not least: " If you fail to plan - you plan to fail"

Best wishes.

[speights boy]

Good question in today's world.

I guess it's about balance, and being able to accept that things take time.

Keep the computer off 1 or 2 days a week;
Instead of TV a jog, walk on beach, bike ride, hiking in the waitakeres;
Use 4 or 5 hours of free time a week to help pack food parcels at the Salvation Army or City Mission. Or other volunteer duties.
Use vacation time to explore other interests (don't take electronics with you)

Sure, have your goals but make sure the time frame is realistic.

Find an interest that is outdoors or interacts with people of different backgrounds.

SB

[buxlo122]

Make a plan of when you want to buy your first property. Set a date of when that goal will be achievable. Put your money in a term deposit to that date.

While term deposits don't off the world's best returns it will stave the hardest part of saving, temptation.

[Aston]

Do plenty of reading and maybe go easy on the property books if you're becoming obsessive about it.

Read books on creating your own reality, in general terms. One book I have read many times is "Mind Power" by John Kehoe.

[Winston001]

I guess it's about balance, and being able to accept that things take time.

Keep the computer off 1 or 2 days a week;
Instead of TV a jog, walk on beach, bike ride, hiking in the Waitakeres;

Use 4 or 5 hours of free time a week to help pack food parcels at the Salvation Army or City Mission. Or other volunteer duties.
Use vacation time to explore other interests (don't take electronics with you)

Sure, have your goals but make sure the time frame is realistic.

Find an interest that is outdoors or interacts with people of different backgrounds.

SB

Nicely put and I agree wholeheartedly.

AI - you illustrate commendable depth of thought when you realise that investment is dominating your life. Its unhealthy but plenty of people do it - me for one.

Go to the cemetery. See how many headstones say "He died a rich man" or "Owned more property than he could eat :" etc. When we shuffle off this mortal coil what's left are our children, our contributions to our community, and memories of the living. The better the memories the longer your life is respected.

Investment can be a side-effect of wise planning rather than an overwhelming objective itself.

It is vitally important to have a rich journey of experiences through life IMHO. That has little to do with financial wealth. Consider people like Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi. Poor and vigorous. They are remembered.

[Pegasus]

Hi Aston
We are also fans of John Kehoe's book (and he also has loads of useful and free stuff on his website - google mind power)
I was interested to see you have found it useful too - has it helped you with your property goals?
I use visualisation each time I want to find my next deal and I seem to find good deals that way usually by seeming coincidences...

How to enjoy now? Work out what you want and need and go about getting it for yourself, I would say.

Pegasus

[Aston]

Yes, the website is also a mine of information.

Click here for John Kehoe's website. This site is updated regularly and is a very valuable resource... Don't forget to read the books also though.

The information on this site will help you achieve any of the goals that you may have in life.

[ENP]

I've found if you stop going on property talk, stop reading self help and investment books for a while and don't read the business section for a few weeks you realize what is really important in life.

Auckland is a big city. Explore it.

[Davo36]

Auckland Investor, I know exactly how you feel.

Of course it's no new revelation that money doesn't make you happy. And constantly wishing you had more certainly wont' either.

It can take all the fun out of life when you are spending every minute thinking about how you could make some money.

Once my development I'm doing right now is finished, I'm going to have a nice long break and not even think about property for like 6 months. Time is the best creator of wealth for me anyway. Property values just going up I mean, by themselves, over time. When I try to force things, that's when I get frustrated, angry and actually make less money.

[drelly]

I think that a degree of obsession is a requirement to do really well in anything. The trick is to be in control of it and not let it control you. Recognise that the obsession is not your whole life. Unless you want it to be, then there's no problem! Stop to smell the roses.

[NovInvestor]

Obsession + Education + Plan + Action = Profits

Profits + more action + consistency = riches

[speights boy]

Enthusiasm is healthy; obsession is often not.

You could try something new, that takes you outside your comfort zone.

eg:
Paragliding,
Potholing,
Motocross,
Country & Western Line Dancing,
Joining Druids Society,
Walking into bars dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheer leader.

PS. Not all of the above activities are recommended.

[Fingers]

Take a few days off and do a good 3 or 4 day bush walk and stay in some rugged back country huts. You will love it! A perfect kiwi way to relax.

I find the simplist way to achieve my goals is to write them down and set a target date (example: by 2016 I will have enough money to retire if I choose to). Every goal I have written down and set a target date against I have achieved, most have been realistic, some have seemed beyond the realms of possibility when I set them but got there in the end!

I always include health and happiness in my goal setting.


Cheers

Fingers