If you know me, you know that I'm a big fan of Mr. Money Mustache. I wrote up a long post on his interview with Tim Ferriss - the impact it had on me, and the ways in which it has changed my life's direction. In addition to that interview, I have listened to many other interviews in which Mr. Money Mustache was a guest. Many of these podcasts are financial advise shows that I otherwise don't follow. I'm usually left wondering why I would otherwise listen to the host's show? To me, these other financial gurus are generic and unimaginative, especially compared with Mr. Money Mustache.
Why is their advice is so dull when it’s not bad advice?
The lesson here is that people who push the boundaries, who act upon and live out their convictions, are infinitely more engaging and inspiring than those who are simply reiterating the status quo, tried and true, generic advice. This applies in all realms of life. To be inspiring, you need to go big. To spend your time trying to convince people to save a percent or two more, and try to cut out a latte here and there, just isn’t compelling advice. It’s not wrong, but it’s not inspiring.
To put it in another realm, I can imagine a health advisor telling me to make sure to have a few more vegetables each day. Ok, fine, not wrong. The Mr. Money Mustache of health advisors would say, “You should go vegan and grow most of your own food. Let me show you how. You’ll not only be healthier, but happier, and it’s better for the environment”. That person is much more compelling. It’s compelling even if I can’t match that level of dedication.
I think what makes Mr. Money Mustache so compelling is that he pushes it to the fullest, and lives it. I’m drawn to those types of people, who can go so far outside of the norm, and live it. It’s clear that it brings him joy. It’s infectious.