How do I prevent making wrong decisions based on emotion?

[7thLetter]

I know meditation is one solution, but that has already been one of my habits that I'm trying to be consistent on. What more could I work on?

It seems like I tend to make these wrong decisions quite a bit in my life. I'm a male and it reminds me of what you would read in books of how females tend to be highly emotional creatures.

Some examples are getting a terrible tattoo, spending over $5K getting the tattoo, deciding I don't like it so I get it covered, then deciding to get laser tattoo removal. Another example is joining an MLM a couple years back and 'investing' over $5K into knowledge and into the business. Spending hundreds of dollars on pointless 'deals' at shoppers. That's when I had a bit of a problem with hoarding items. Getting a job as a Security Guard, signing a contract, then deciding last minute I don't want to do it so I had to pay $600.

Some of these were before I started to self-actualize but I somewhat still have a bit of this problem. Currently working on my money psychology I know that will help.

Advice?

[anaj]

Another way to look at it is this: 

You can't really know whether these things that happened are good or bad. Maybe having gone through these things will help you see more clearly in the future? Maybe you wouldn't even be on the path of self-actualization unless you did the things you did in the past? It's difficult to tell.

Don't be so fast to decide whether things you did were good or bad until you see the entire picture before you.

[Arkandeus]

if these are wrong decisions you are rejecting your life, you cannot be happy now if you are not happy with your past

your life is you, these decisions are you, you cannot reject a part of yourself

believe in yourself, and you will see the complexity, the intelligence, the magnificence behind these 'wrong decisions'

making the wrong or right decisions that doesn't matter, happiness is not gained from knowing that we made the right decision

how can you truly be happy if you do not know that every decision you make is the right one?

 this freedom is the essence of happiness and it is your right

Edited April 29, 2018 by Arkandeus

[Jamie Universe]

Working off of what @anaj said

2 hours ago, 7thLetter said:

Getting a job as a Security Guard, signing a contract, then deciding last minute I don't want to do it so I had to pay $600.

sounded like a moment of clarity of a almost bad decision. If your constantly making mistakes, maybe just tell yourself to be more conscious of any significant decisions, maybe put a reminder somewhere. Otherwise you could do a pre-mortem for your life or for your bad habits.

[aurum]

@7thLetter

All the examples you listed here involve money. What are your beliefs about money?

[Leo Gura]

@7thLetter Wisdom is often earned through making naive mistakes. The important thing is that you learn the lessons from each mistake. Make sure you are really learning each lesson. Contemplate what each of those mistakes was meant to teach you about life.

Don't beat yourself up over mistakes. Reframe them as valuable lessons.

You didn't pay $5,000 for a stupid tattoo, you paid $5,000 for the life lesson it taught you. What was that $5,000 lesson?

You didn't pay $600 to quit a security job, you paid $600 for the life lesson it taught you. What was that $600 lesson?

The more painful the lessons, the easier they are to learn

[7thLetter]

@aurum Definitely have a lot of psychological issues around money. Coming from a lower-class background, a lot of my beliefs must of came from my parents. They tend to spend quite a bit and that must have rubbed onto me. I also used to have a friend with some DEEP psychological issues. He would often talk to me in a condescending manner, and manipulated me in a way that made me spend my money. Of course everything I do is done on my own, but his thoughts seemed to influence mine. For example, as a teen I worked a whole lot, saved a couple grand, and I would always brag about it to my friends. With him knowing how much is in my bank account, he would always call me a cheap ass when I didn't want to buy this or that. Every single time. At first it seemed like he was joking, but the more and more he said that its like fuck off. And I think that might have contributed to my spending habits. Glad I cut him out of my life though. Nowadays I tend to be a bit more smart with my money, maybe a little too stingy, but I'm working on it.

[aurum]

1 hour ago, 7thLetter said:

@aurum Definitely have a lot of psychological issues around money. Coming from a lower-class background, a lot of my beliefs must of came from my parents. They tend to spend quite a bit and that must have rubbed onto me. I also used to have a friend with some DEEP psychological issues. He would often talk to me in a condescending manner, and manipulated me in a way that made me spend my money. Of course everything I do is done on my own, but his thoughts seemed to influence mine. For example, as a teen I worked a whole lot, saved a couple grand, and I would always brag about it to my friends. With him knowing how much is in my bank account, he would always call me a cheap ass when I didn't want to buy this or that. Every single time. At first it seemed like he was joking, but the more and more he said that its like fuck off. And I think that might have contributed to my spending habits. Glad I cut him out of my life though. Nowadays I tend to be a bit more smart with my money, maybe a little too stingy, but I'm working on it.

Sounds like that definitely could be part of it. You might want to read Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker and It's Not About The Money by Brent Kessel.

[7thLetter]

@aurum Secrets of the Millionaire Mind is actually the last book that I just finished reading. Really good book for anyone looking to improve their money habits. Although it could use a little less advertising of the millionaire mind seminar. And will definitely look into your second recommendation, thanks!

Edited April 30, 2018 by 7thLetter

[aurum]

Just now, 7thLetter said:

Although it could use a little less advertising of the  millionaire mind seminar.

Might want to read the book again

[Leo Gura]

54 minutes ago, 7thLetter said:

Although it could use a little less advertising of the millionaire mind seminar.

Lol, That's the #1 secret of the millionaire mind: advertise yourself shamelessly.

[7thLetter]

@Leo Gura Hmm, good point lol

[Leo Gura]

@7thLetter Here's how a master does it:

The #1 leverage point for earning money is fame/popularity/reputation. If you can fake that, you've got it made