What is an upgrade? This is one of the questions I have wrestled with throughout my life and one I will address periodically in my writing. One of the first things people may think of is improving the technology you’re working with, like getting more RAM for your computer or maybe a better graphics card. Others may immediately consider trading in the old wife for a newer younger model. I would suggest that upgrading is not quite so simple. If you calculate the cost of upgrading individual computer components including the time spent and the frustration of conflicting software issues or the continuous nickel and dime effect, is it really worth not buying a whole new computer? Don’t get me started on doing a wife trade in. I think books have been written on the subject. Lets just say younger is not equivalent to better.
I believe an upgrade should add value, reliability, and an overall improvement to your life. Value can be monetary or emotional, but it should retain its value. A vacation to the south of France may seem like an upgrade over last year’s vacation to Orlando, but that extra 10-20k is retained only as memories, pictures and bragging rights. Reliability means the ability to provide value continuously or at least multiple times without a major decrease in effectiveness. That ice cream sundae might make you feel better right now, but it only lasts a few minutes. Upgrading to a tub of ice cream that will last for weeks, might seem like sustainable happiness, but when we look at value and long term health, it is still a very questionable choice.
Clarifying what constitutes an overall improvement is even more subjective and complex. Investing in transient items like food and clothing might not seem worthwhile unless we factor in long term health and confidence benefits. A healthier diet will likely cost more in both money and time, but if you can live an extra decade the impact is surely a net positive. Yet, how can we know if we will actually live longer? I think most of us subconsciously mistrust the data and assume we could be hit by a car and die any day. You might disagree, but how many of you can consistently deny that unhealthy treat? How many times have you postponed that rigorous exercise routine?
How much should you spend on a wardrobe improvement? This is not something I generally worry about, as I usually only buy a couple of new clothing items a year to replace worn items. Recently, however, I’ve lost a bunch of weight and I’m looking to upgrade. A new set of clothes can give us confidence and help with networking or nailing a job interview. It’s easy to be cheap and get low quality brands, but people notice. I live in southern California, the land of image critique. I know business owners who respect a well dressed potential employee along with the ability to use an iron and a lint brush, or pay for a dry cleaner. All that being said, it’s easy to go overboard and blow money on a closet full of stuff you’ll never wear. I wouldn’t know but apparently clothes shopping can be addicting. I know someone who has 50k in their closet from when they used to work in an office and now it just sits there while she works from home in her pajamas.
I would propose that a way to solve or at least mitigate some of the ambiguity of what constitutes positive or negative change is to invest in education and discipline. These skills can provide long term value and have the bonus of being virtually free to obtain. The education portion gives you a better idea of what will improve your life and what will not. Improving discipline incorporates the ability to make more positive changes and be consistent. Those who have spent a lot of time in the books know that education can also be a trap. It is a business after all. People invest thousands of dollars on education sold to them by professional sales teams all the time. No, I’m not just talking about college students, but they tend to be the most prevalent victims. Look up any skill from chess to dancing and you can find dozens of books or personal instructors willing to take your money and educate you. So knowing what to learn and how to learn efficiently is also important. I suppose you could say we need to learn what to learn, independent of the agenda of others.
The acquisition of discipline is a whole other beast. This skill is mysterious and difficult to maintain, it waxes and wanes, it punishes and gives. Discipline can also seem like a catch 22, you need it to win, but too much losing can destroy your confidence and this becomes the downward spiral that saps discipline as well. So how do you get it? Is it something some people have and others do not? You can literally fill a library with books on the subject, and I’ve read a lot of them. The fact is, however, reading and doing are very different things.
I believe discipline works differently for different people and is affected by a variety of environmental and genetic factors. Personally, I always had a chip on my shoulder from growing up relatively poor, but much of that went away when I finally achieved a comfortable living. I have evolved and motivation has become much more situational for me. If you are new to needing or wanting discipline, start by thinking about what motivates you or gets you psyched up, like before the big game. Think about your goals and what you are passionate about. Imagine that you can actually brainwash yourself into being excited about something through self-talk. I plan to address discipline in future posts, but if you are interested and new or out of practice with self improvement, I suggest you pick up Napoleon Hill’s classic “Think and Grow Rich” for some light inspiration.
The Upgrade Blog 