Our culture is so bizarre.
You and I know we’ll encounter certain milestones in our lives: going to college, dating, getting married, having kids... But if we start to plan too far ahead, people look at us like we’re complete weirdos.
It’s easier to pretend to be super carefree and just “hope it works out.” Because if you tell people what you’re actually doing, they start to think you’re weird.
WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS WEIRD: “I’m going to systematically test different approaches in dating so I can find the man / woman of my dreams.” real love?
WHAT’S ACTUALLY WEIRD: “I’m going to do nothing. Society tells me ‘U Go Gurl’ and ‘Be Yourself,’ so I’m going to change nothing and wait until the right person comes around.”
WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS WEIRD: “I’m going to count my calories, learn the psychology of weight loss, and lose weight so I look and feel amazing.”
WHAT’S ACTUALLY WEIRD: “I’m going to tell myself I can’t lose weight for 20 years due to my metabolism / genetics / I’m-Asian-so-I-love-rice / etc. Now it’s a core part of my identity.”
WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS WEIRD: Creating a sub-savings account for a wedding before you're even engaged.
WHAT’S ACTUALLY WEIRD: Not doing anything and "hoping it will all work out."
WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS WEIRD: Reading parenting books before you have kids -- or even before you’re married. (This is what I’m going through right now.)
WHAT’S ACTUALLY WEIRD: Going through one of the biggest changes of your life -- kids -- without spending a little bit of time learning beforehand.
Guys, don’t let anyone make you feel weird for planning.
The very best people plan for things before they need to.
They save money before they need it. On a big day, they plan out everything -- their meals, their transportation, everything -- before the day comes.
If you decide to get serious about a certain area -- earning more, starting a business, losing weight, whatever -- people will get uncomfortable. They’ll assume planning makes you this soulless automaton, incapable of creative thought. Wrong.
Planning ahead gives you freedom.
That’s when you realize...it’s OK to be weird.
If you’re weird, you’re in good company.
let me know what you think in the comments