Practical Lessons for Your Financial Life (Collection)

Step 3: Eliminate the “What Might Have Been” from Your Language

Notice What Factors Are and Are Not in Your Control

The “what might have been” may be a natural reaction to circumstances, but it is also often irrational, especially when you use it to blame yourself for factors out of your control. In the game of roulette, when you’ve selected red and then black wins, you might say, “Oh! I was going to pick black!” And then you realize that’s ridiculous because roulette is a game of chance. What good does it do to examine your performance in a game you have no control over winning?

When things don’t work out in your favor, remember that some events were completely out of your control. Then you can focus on the parts you can control for a more ...