Before you get taken advantage of through a Black Friday buying spree today, ask yourself if buying anything on credit is going to advance your Internet business goals. From electronics to clothing sold at firesale prices today, will each purchase you make generate a positive return on investment by protecting or growing your online business?
If not, why are you making the purchase? Is it that brief sense of conspicuous consumption glee you get as the cashier hands you the bag with the receipt that you own something new? That fades quickly and you’ll need to buy something else quick as a “fix” for your possessions addiction. And to get that brief high, you’ll have to progress up the ladder to more expensive toys whether or not you can afford them.
What about gifts? Are you doing yourself or your family any long-term favors by blowing your money today or going further into debt? If your friendships and family relationships are based on the size of the gifts you give, what does that say about those particular relationships?
I’m not suggesting that you have to be a cheapskate in order to succeed online. However, think carefully how you invest your resources if you plan to achieve your financial goals and dreams. If you can’t justify the return on your time, money, and energy, skip the Black Friday sales and do something that’s truly productive.
This may be something you’ve been procrastinating on doing that will make a difference in your business. It may simply be spending some quality time with close family and friends doing activities that don’t involve a race into credit card debt at Black Friday sales. And if you don’t know what to do, perhaps it is time to write down your business and personal goals with a realistic action plan rather than waiting until New Year’s Day.
If you take a step back and look at your life, you’ll know what is truly important to you. My hunch is that spending time in crowded shopping malls today doesn’t rank high on that list.
Skeptical?
No one on their death bed has said they wished they had spent more time shopping. Regrets are based on the things not done instead of the things left unpurchased.
Go find something meaningful and do it today.
