Want financial success? Stop caring about what others think.

A few weeks ago, I blogged about Two Words That Will Change your Financial Future?. And while I still believe it true that delaying gratification will help everything to fall into place, there is another BIG thing you must do if you want to succeed at getting out of debt and staying on track.??You have to stop caring what other people think.

Some people would rather impress their sister or their best friend than leave an inheritance to their children.

Think about high school- why on earth would you pay $70 for Abercrombie jeans?? Their awesome fit and quality?? NO!? You paid $70 for hole-y jeans because everyone else was buying them and it made you feel good.

Twenty years later and that transfers to a car payment as big as a mortgage because you have three kids and NEED a Yukon.

Being responsible with money isn’t trendy.

It’s not fashionable to wear Goodwill clothes and carry a 6-yr old purse.

It’s not fun to pull up at someone’s house and your squealing car announces your arrival.

It’s uncool to still rent when everyone is buying a house.

And while the things above include delayed gratification, the bigger issue may just be that you can’t give up what people think of you.

When people call into Dave Ramsey’s show whining about what people will think of them he usually says, “I don’t take advice from broke people.”

Unless the person giving you advice has fruit on the tree, they probably are completely clueless.

If you read The Millionaire Next Door, you’ll find out that the average millionaire wears old(er) clothes, drives a used vehicle, and basically appears nothing like you think.? Most people that care what people think don’t have what it takes to do this.

Even if you step away from finances, if you are paralyzed but people think you may never step out and homeschool because what will your teacher friends think?? Or step inside a church because what will your drinking buddies think? ? Or take on a new business or career because what will my Mom, Dad, Aunt Betty think? ?As Mr. Wonderful says on Shark Tank, “Stop the madness!!!”

In closing, if you need any more motivation to stop worrying about the Jones’, Jeff Olson in The Slight Edge says that at most funerals, only 10 people cry. ?That’s a pretty sad statistic.? [clickToTweet tweet=”Don’t garner your existence on what people may or may not think of you! ?They won’t even cry when you die!” quote=”Don’t garner your existence on what people may or may not think of you! ?They won’t even cry when you die!”]?Depressing, I know.

Live your life.

Live your goals.

Stop looking around.

?Have you ever been paralyzed by fear about what people may think? ?It doesn’t have to be finances related- maybe you didn’t want to have another baby, or move out of state??? Or maybe you just felt you were letting others influence your decision-making a little too much?!