The Realization You Wish You Had

Good morning!

I hope this finds you well.

Welcome to another edition of The Matt Viera Newsletter.

The newsletter with the goal to inspire you to invest in life experiences.

Thank you for your continued support.

During the summer of 2023, I had a complete shift in mindset, an epiphany, a realization.

I can't tell you the exact genesis for this realization.

But it was most likely a combination of several events:

• The fact that the summer was coming to an end

• I was finishing a 5-week mini-retirement in Spain

• I no longer had to worry about federal student loans

One thing I really wanted was for that summer not to end.

Most (if not all) people would love an endless summer.

The freedom to live a life you actually want to live.

Take a moment and imagine the life you actually want to live.

Does it involve waking up early on weekdays to an alarm clock to spend the rest of the day in an office?

For 5 weeks in 2023, I was not doing exactly that in Spain (no alarm clocks, no office).

There was a specific point during one of those sunny days in Spain in which I felt compelled to do two things:

• Do whatever it takes to stop trading my time for money

• Write about it (which is the origin of this newsletter)

This begs the question: Why didn't I realize this sooner?

Like decades ago?

Well, to answer that question, let's first review how we, as humans who live in the ultra-consumer-focused society that is the U.S., are programmed and conditioned to live:

• College

• Job/Career

• Find a partner

• Get married

• Buy a house

• Buy (lease) cars

• Buy things to fill your house

• Have children & teach the above

• Work until you're 65 to pay off the above

• Retire (maybe)

I'm reminded of a simple quote from Watchmen (one of Time's All-Time 100 Novels):

Let me simplify the joke:

• Work

• Get paid

• Buy things you don't need

• Rinse and repeat ad nauseam

The punchline: before you know it, life has passed you by.

I admit that I was programmed and conditioned to live like this.

With hindsight being 20/20, what disgusts me is that I have to admit that the amount of money I spent in my life without any thought or care can be described in one word: breathtaking.

What bothers me is that I never learned basic personal finance principles, or what I did know, I never applied.

The counterargument is that if I had learned basic personal finance principles decades ago, would I have applied them throughout my 20s, 30s, and 40s?

That's a debatable question.

A debate I'd probably lose.

Either way, I have no one to blame but myself.

I just never took the time to learn and apply basic personal finance principles to my financial life.

And I am where I am.

Don't get me wrong, I've lived a pretty good life.

But what's the point of all this?

The point of all this is to inspire, motivate, and encourage you to live the life you actually want to live by effectively managing your personal finances.

Remember: if you don't manage your money effectively when you have less than you want, you will not manage your money effectively when you have more than you need.

My goal is to retire by 2028 (or 2029).

I'll be 56 (or 57).

I wish I had the aforementioned complete shift in mindset, epiphany, and realization when I was 40 (or much younger).

If I did, maybe I'd have the financial resources to no longer have to trade my time for money today.

But the truth is, I didn't have this realization.

If you're younger than me (by a few decades), I implore you to develop a financial plan to retire (or stop trading your time for money) sooner rather than later.

If you're happy with your career and want to continue it until you're 65+, that's cool.

Run with it.

However, if you can't see yourself doing what you're doing until you're 65+, take it from me, and come up with a financial plan to retire (or stop trading your time for money) sooner rather than later.

It won't be easy.

It will require some sacrifice.

But it is possible.

It is possible to figure out a way to stop waking up to an alarm clock.

It is possible to figure out a way for you to stop trading your time for money.

It is possible to figure out a way to explore this beautiful world we live in.

Life's entirely too short not to.

Remember: every day that passes is one less day you have on this planet.

Do you really want to spend it in an office?

Quote that caught my attention:

“To the extent that we can use money to gain independence and autonomy, that is, I think, as close as it comes to a universal want and thing that we can use money for.”

—Morgan Housel

You can find the collection of financial tools & resources that helped me grow from a 6-figure debt to a 6-figure net worth by clicking here.

Thanks for reading!

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