It has been a while since my last post, and that is due to several recent life events. The company where I used to work went through a restructuring, and many people in my department, including myself, were let go. I had to dedicate my time to finding a new job, which, unfortunately, has not been successful yet.
Let’s be honest: once you reach a certain age, landing a job isn’t as easy.
Even if we don’t want to admit it, some age discrimination exists, and frankly, I understand their perspective.
Initially, I was in the process of renting out my house, but without a job, those plans changed. We decided to sell it and downsize to a smaller home.
If I am truly honest with myself, however, these are just excuses. We should always find time to do the things that matter, even if they aren’t the most entertaining. This brings me to the core topic of today: Commitment.
The True Cost of Wealth
I’ve been listening to several personal development audiobooks, including How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis and Mind Shift by Erwin Raphael McManus. A recurring theme is how many individuals essentially destroyed their personal lives in order to achieve massive financial success. Felix Dennis explicitly states in his book that building serious wealth practically requires working 12-hour days, seven days a week. Inevitably, that relentless grind will destroy the family you have built and love.
These self-made individuals rarely saw their children, slept in their offices, went through divorces, and lost friends. When you are young, that sacrifice might seem acceptable because the primary drive is simply to make money.
But when you are 55+, your mindset shifts. Money is important, but it no longer supersedes family. Experience teaches you that genuine happiness stems from your family, not just your bank account. I highly doubt many people over 55 are willing to sacrifice their family for financial gain. This shift in priorities—not a lack of energy or innovation—is perhaps the main reason it becomes harder to become a millionaire as you age.
Redefining the Goal
This does not mean I have abandoned my goal of achieving significant wealth. That goal remains intact, and I am still working toward it. That is precisely why I am writing this post.
Authors like Brian Tracy, Grant Cardone, Les Brown, and John Soforic all agree on one principle: once you genuinely “commit” to a project or idea, the universe begins to work in your favor to make it successful.
When we talk about commitment here, we are not just talking about “wanting” something, or creating an action plan, or even writing a to-do list. As Grant Cardone puts it, commitment means making the project successful by doing whatever it takes.
Focus vs. The Mental Block
This level of commitment is directly tied to Warren Buffett’s philosophy: you must focus on one single thing and stop trying to juggle multiple ventures at once. Looking back, whenever I have focused entirely and committed to a single goal, I have achieved it 100% of the time.
The problem has been that historically, my commitment has always been geared toward launching a product, but I neglected the marketing and sales—a flaw I discussed in my previous post, “Incorrect Goal Definition: Why My Past Projects Failed.”
Right now, that focus is exactly what I am missing.
Today, I find myself facing a mental conflict. I want to work on two different projects, which completely contradicts the principles of focus and commitment. I must choose only one, but I am torn:
- Project A: This project appeals to me personally. It allows me to enjoy life and explore the world—a vital factor when you are 55+. However, it faces infinite competition. Because of this, making significant money, or even just securing a decent income, will be incredibly difficult.
- Project Z: This project is fundamentally different. While interesting, it does not offer the same immediate lifestyle benefits. It requires massive amounts of time in front of a computer, rigorous development, A/B testing, and more, therefore a steep drop in quality of life during the early years. Yet, the probability of achieving significant financial success is much higher in the long run.
The Bottom Line
I need to focus on a single project so I can fully commit to it. As Erwin Raphael McManus notes, you should be “average” at everything else, but in your chosen project / expertise, you must be a super-specialist whose knowledge and skills are unmatched.
This dilemma has created a subconscious block where I am resisting committing to either project: one offers a beautiful lifestyle but limited financial upside, while the other offers high financial potential but will damage my quality of life in the short term.
Ultimately, until I focus and commit to just one of these paths, the universe will not provide the coincidences, meetings, and connections necessary for success. I must make a choice, and right now, my biggest challenge is figuring out how to untangle this mental block.
