Now Is Not The Time To Be Smug

In the past week I’ve seen some financial independence folks being a bit smug about this economic crisis that COVID-19 has caused.  At one level I get it, for those who have saved money, invested wisely, lived frugally, and avoided consumerism there’s naturally a certain amount of relief and even pride right now. 

I’m certainly in that camp, I’m very proud at how I’ve lived my life and that I’ve positioned myself so well for an event like this.  If you’ve done the same you should be proud too.

But there’s a difference between being proud and bragging about it to those who are suffering.  And remember that folks aren’t just suffering from money and job issues right now, they’re worried about the health of their family members. 

Stress levels and anxiety are through the roof.  And this is happening to a culture that has already been operating at high levels of anxiety, depression, mental health issues, and suicide.

For those of us who have lived frugally, saved money, invested wisely, and learned to live with what most others consider big inconveniences, this is not the time to be smug.

The people who make plenty enough to save but instead spend it all (I’m not talking about low income people here) aren’t bad people.  They’re people like anyone else, with families and hopes and dreams. 

But they probably haven’t come to a point in their lives where they’ve had to seriously address their relationship with money, consumerism, discipline, and values. 

This just might be the event that forces a sea change. 

Call To Action

If you’ve achieved financial independence and have a blog now’s the time to keep teaching, to keep telling your stories.  Now’s the time to persuade, to convince people that there’s another way.  This is the time to hunker down and write your best content.

Remember that old quote, the one about teaching someone to fish versus just giving them a fish?  This is the time to teach people to fish.  I’m all for charitable donations and make plenty myself, but the power to teach someone to change is a far greater power. 

The financial independence community is full of smart and accomplished people who’ve positioned themselves to handle an event like this.  Sure, many in the community are hurting too and some have even “fallen out of FI”, but most have surely put themselves in a far better position than the average American household that can’t handle a relatively small unexpected expense. 

So FI community, let’s rally.  Let’s use this event to solidify our commitment to smarter living, to buying less, to cultivating more discipline, and most importantly, to telling our stories so others might come along. 

Do it in your own way, with your own unique experiences.  I’ve convinced quite a few people to start their own blogs, not because my writing itself inspired them, but because I told them the truth.  And the truth is they have a unique story, no one else can tell it but them, and in a world of millions of people some out there will identify or see themselves in that story. 

It’s as simple as that.

Where Do We Go

Some are saying this event may be the death knell for the financial independence movement.  I say no way.  I think this event has the potential to expand our movement in a huge way. 

It shows we’re more relevant than ever.

Big events that affect everyone have a way of not only uniting, but of fomenting lasting change.  Only time will tell if this is one of those events.  And a lot of dust will have to settle.  That dust is gonna make a real mess of things, and already is.

Real sweeping changes that put more people on the path to financial independence will have a better chance of happening if we, the ones already here, do our best to show the way and model the example.  And save the smugness for a less stressful time.