The Investment Paradox: Why Your Excuses Are Your Roadmap to Success
Today, I want to get something off my chest about excuses. Specifically, the excuses we make around success, finances, wealth, and business. These excuses are literally destroying us and holding us back from the life we deserve.
But here's the thing - finances are fragile. They're personal. They're vulnerable. So I want to be tender with you today as we dive into this topic, because I know how scary it can be to confront the truth about what's holding us back.
The System vs. You: Let's Get Real
I recently got a comment on one of my YouTube videos that really hit home. The commenter made some valid points about how financial literacy isn't taught in schools, how the wealth disparity is unprecedented, and how the average American is fighting for scraps while being told it's their fault.
Here's my take: Yes, there are systematic problems. The system IS stacked against us in many ways. But - and this is crucial - that cannot be your excuse to stay where you are.
You know what happened when they actually DID teach financial literacy in high schools for 10 years? A comprehensive study found it made ZERO difference in how students handled money after graduation. None. The students even paid less attention in those classes than their other subjects.
So whose responsibility is it to make sure you and your family are financially educated? It's YOURS. Not the school's. The school doesn't know your family's situation, your goals, or your dreams.
Introducing The Investment Paradox™
This brings me to what I call The Investment Paradox - and yes, I'm trademarking this because it's mine!
The Investment Paradox states this: What you want most is exactly what you have to sacrifice to get it.
Let me break this down using what I call the Success Machine Principle.
The Success Machine
Your success machine can be anything - your 401k, IRA, business, real estate, even your W-2 job. It's any asset that takes an input, processes it, and gives you a successful output.
Here's how it works:
Input: What you put in (money, time, energy)
Machine: The vehicle that processes your input (business, investment, etc.)
Output: What you get back (passive income, financial security, time freedom)
Simple example: You put $10,000 a year into your 401k (input), the 401k grows your money over time (machine), and you get lifetime retirement income (output).
But here's where the paradox kicks in...
The Paradox in Action
Want passive income? You have to sacrifice your working income to build it.
Want unlimited family time? You have to sacrifice family time now to build the business that gives it to you later.
Want financial security? You have to risk some financial security by investing wisely.
Want ultimate stability? You have to give up the false stability of a job someone else controls.
I lived this personally. When I wanted ultimate stability - never having to worry about someone taking my income away - I had to give up the "stability" of my district manager position. People thought I was crazy. But now? Nobody can fire me. Nobody can cut my income. I have TRUE stability because I control it.
Your Excuses Are Your Action Plan
Here's the game-changer: The exact excuse you make is the exact action you need to take.
When you catch yourself saying:
"I don't have time" → You need to invest time to create time freedom
"I don't have money" → You need to invest money to create wealth
"I can't leave my family" → You need to sacrifice family time temporarily to get it permanently
"I'll lose my status" → You need to give up false validation to gain real respect
That friction you feel? That resistance? That's your GPS pointing directly to what you need to do.
The Success Machine Formula
Here's your roadmap:
Step 1: Identify What You Want More Of
Get crystal clear. More money? More time? More freedom? More family time? You can't hit a target you can't see.
Step 2: Sacrifice That Exact Thing Temporarily
This is where it gets uncomfortable. If you want more time, you have to invest time. If you want more money, you have to invest money. The thing you want most is what you have to give up first.
Step 3: Invest It Into Your Success Machine
Whether it's your business, skills, education, or financial vehicles - put that sacrifice to work in something that will multiply it back to you.
Step 4: Get Unlimited Amounts Back Later
This is the exchange. You give up something finite now for something unlimited later.
Real Talk: This Isn't Easy
I won't sugarcoat this. When I was building my business, I worked my 70-hour-per-week job AND put in another 20-30 hours building my company. Was it exhausting? Absolutely. Did I miss family gatherings? Yes. Did I sacrifice content creation for a full year when I was already monetized? You bet.
But now? I control every minute of every day. I can take time off whenever I want. I'll never miss another important family moment. The temporary sacrifice created permanent presence.
Breaking Down Common Excuses
"I don't have time": You work 60 hours a week for someone else but can't find 10 hours to build your own freedom? That time scarcity crushing you is exactly what you need to invest.
"I don't have money": You spend $5 on coffee every day ($1,825/year) but can't afford a $125 business investment? You're eating the seeds instead of planting them.
"I can't leave my family": If you miss 100 dinners now, you could be present for the next 10,000. Temporary sacrifice, permanent presence.
"I'll lose my status": That false status disappears the moment someone fires you anyway. Real respect comes from building something meaningful that serves others.
Your Assignment
Right now, I want you to:
Identify your top 3 excuses for not pursuing your dreams
Flip each excuse and ask: "What would I need to sacrifice to eliminate this excuse?"
Calculate the investment: How long would you need to sacrifice? What systems could multiply your returns?
Create your investment plan: Map out exactly how you'll invest what you want more of into your success machine
The Bottom Line
Every excuse you make is actually a roadmap to your success. The thing you're avoiding is exactly what you need to embrace. The friction you feel is your internal GPS saying "THIS WAY TO FREEDOM."
You can keep making excuses and stay exactly where you are, or you can flip those excuses into investments and create the life you actually want.
The choice is yours. But remember - if you're too busy to build your own freedom, you'll be busy forever working for someone else's.
What excuse are you going to flip into an investment today?
Want more help breaking down your excuses and creating your investment plan? Check out ReforgedHQ.com for personalized guidance and resources. And don't forget to share this with someone who needs to hear it - spreading knowledge is spreading love.
