I used to love watching the X-files.
One of the reasons was it always explained things in two ways.
One was through paranormal reasons.
Another was from the perspective of medical science.
Even though some of it was “TV science,” it was a good strategy.
The show was on for several years, and they kept the same angle going.
That one character (the doctor) could still be believably skeptical about all the aliens and other paranormal stuff.
While the other guy was convinced there were aliens everywhere.
Being able to see things from both sides is very useful.
I read an interesting article the other day about a hedge fund manager.
He made a ton of money before the crash of 2008.
But remarkably, he made money both ways.
Meaning he made money while housing prices went up, but then he realized the dangers, flipped his strategy, and made money as they crashed.
The article was focused on his “intellectual flexibility.”
Something that is very rare.
To see something from one perspective, but then switch to the opposite perspective.
This is very hard for us humans to do.
Once we get our mind set on something, we usually never change.
They say to the skeptic, no proof is enough.
But to the believer, no proof is necessary.
One of the toughest things to change our minds on is how we think about money.
One of the most strangely “comforting” ideas about money is that it is bad or evil.
Why is this comforting?
This is a very clever mind trick that we play on ourselves in far too many areas of life.
It’s our own humanized version of “turning a bug into a feature.”
It works like this.
We see something we want.
But getting it would be difficult, or scary.
So we “reframe” that which we want from “good” to “bad.”
Then instead of feeling “bad” about ourselves for not getting a “good” thing, we get to feel “good” about ourselves about not wanting to go after a “bad” thing.
Make no mistake, making money takes effort.
And most people don’t like to think about that.
So they readily accept the idea that money is “evil” so they don’t have to feel bad about not wanting to get it.
But that “effort” can be enjoyable effort, or unenjoyable effort.
For example, lifting up bricks for five dollars an hour would suck.
But lifting up bricks of gold you got to keep would most definitely NOT suck.
Same physical effort, but different perspective.
No matter what you do in life, you have to put in effort.
You have to move your body around, say things to people, listen to what they say in response.
If you “believe” money is bad or evil, those things will seem frustrating and scary.
But if you “believe” money is good and holy, those SAME behaviors will be fun and interesting.
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