Inspire 21 Inspiring Words for the 21st Century
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By Dr. Anthony Fernando PhD.
In today’s materialistic society most of us have been conditioned to make snap judgments about a person’s level of success based on the ’status badges’ that they own and display.
These status badges include the sunglasses they own, the watch on their arm, the car they drive, the handbag they carry and the shoes they wear.
The big problem with this ‘Status Badge Game’ is that in an attempt to look successful to others, many people fall into the trap of purchasing status badges instead of managing their money wisely in order to achieve true financial independence.
One of the best decisions you can ever make for yourself and your family is to elect not to play the Status Badge Game.
Let’s take a look at an example that illustrates what this means in the real world.
Cameron was looking to purchase a new pair of sunglasses. After looking around the local shopping center he identified three options:
Cameron began his decision making process by excluding the cheap sunglasses because they did not have a UV Rating and he was not prepared to compromise his health to save a few dollars.
The Oceangear glasses were sturdy, had the highest UV Protection Rating possible and came with a 1 year guarantee. To Cameron’s way of thinking these glasses represented good value for money.
The Monage glasses were also well made and had the highest UR Protection Rating. However, they were also $210.05 more expensive than the Oceangear glasses. Cameron realized that this difference in price was the cost of the ’status badge’ associated with wearing the Monage brand.
Since Cameron and his wife had decided not to play the Status Badge Game, he bought the Oceangear glasses and kept the $210.05 cost of the status badge in his bank account.
It’s important to note that deciding not to play the Status Badge Game is not about becoming a cheap miser who refuses to spend a cent.
Instead, it is about identifying items that represent good value for money without paying the large overheads necessary to accumulate high status badges. Always remember to:
“Shop For Value Not Status” — Dr. Anthony Fernando
By applying this simple financial philosophy to your personal items, your clothes, your car and your home you can save many thousands of dollars over your lifetime. You can then redirect this money into acquiring income producing assets and enjoying meaningful life experiences with the people you love.
So today I’d like to encourage you to see the Status Badge Game for what it really is – An elaborate conditioning process devised by savvy marketers attempting to maximize company profits.
As soon as you understand this and make the decision not to play the Status Badge Game, your whole perspective will shift. You will find yourself free of the burden of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ and will soon be on the path to achieving true financial freedom.
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Dr. Anthony Fernando PhD. graduated from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia where he was awarded the Dean’s List Fellowship for academic excellence. He went on to join Accenture, a global IT consulting firm, where he became a Senior Consultant specializing in enterprise application design and multimedia software development.
In 2002, Dr. Fernando started his own business developing educational computer software. He is also the creator of the ‘Inspirational Quotes And Pictures’ Google Gadget and the ‘Don’t Quit’ Presentation which have inspired over a million people around the world. He’s also written a best-selling book, “The Oracle’s Secret.”
