I’ve been thinking lately about how conventional wisdom. Especially in regard to setting financial and life goals. It isn’t always 
that its dead wrong, but rather it closes off our brains and sense of imagination. We don’t have to make the same plans as everyone else, or have the same goals. If the past few years have taught us anything, its that things are changing in a big way. The way careers are constructed. The way people are now able to live mobile lifestyles, and work from anywhere. The way the we realize that we can achieve financial independence and enjoy and early “retirement” and virtually any age.
Here are a couple examples of conventional wisdom that I’ve been challenging lately:
1) Thinking “if I just had this, I’d be happy.” Adjust your mindset to be content with what you have now. I’ve been moving toward this mindset, and it is so powerful once it gets started. When you get rid of deficit thinking and move to an abundance mindset, opportunities will present themselves all around you. You just have to be open to them.
2) Sacrificing today to have a “great retirement.” Most financial advice tells you to save for retirement so you don’t run out of money. This is again a deficit mentality. My goal with regard to money is to live a fulfilling life now, while continuing to build for the future. I do make sacrifices to save money, but I do those to help build financial independence. That goal is as much about now, and five years from now as it is 30 years from now. With an abundance mindset, I know that opportunities will be out there in the future, at all stages of life.
3) Conventional financial advice. Following what others have told us. Or what our parents did. Most of what is considered “conventional” financial advice today revolves around massive consumption. The goal is to earn a big wage, buy a huge house, borrow to buy cars, boats, etc. That path can sound enticing, but I don’t think it leads to long term happiness. It is also dangerous because it encourages us to look to others for approval or attempt to keep up with our peers. My goal is to live a simpler life with less consumption and more happiness, free time, and peace of mind.
Any other ideas of conventional wisdom that you think we should be challenging today?