Why I Bought a Book Instead of a Beer

Actually, 2 beers.

That’s about how many beers I could get for my $13 dollar personal development book.

I’ve read all the self-help, personal development books you have. We know “investing in ourselves is the best investment.” We know spending money on junk and filler is bad.

But we still eat the Pringles.

We still balk at going to the gym.

We still binge through Netflix and Hulu.

We still obsess over sports teams, our selfies, pleasing other people, get fat and sleep in and I get it.

We know what the “better” choice is, but we still choose the opposite.

Except today! My wife and I have a budget we’re (actually) sticking to, and I have a limited amount of “blow” money — money I can spend on whatever I want. Since we moved to Korea, there’s virtually no avenues for me to continue my craft beer obsession, so I’ve been wringing my hands waiting for this big craft beer festival next month.

But yes — I spent some of my limited beer money on a damn book today.

Why Your Next Purchase Should Be a Book

Look, I’m still probably going to eat Ritz crackers tonight with dinner. Maybe even have some soda.

But I’m also going to eat a healthy(ish) dinner. And I might go for another jog, because I just started running again. My beer belly is slowly disappearing. And maybe I’ll buy another book next week with my beer money.

Buying a book is a small investment, but an investment nonetheless. It’s money that could go to other of your usual spending — clothes. Trinkets. Eating out.

If your next purchase is a book, you’ll create a small little spark. You’ll push that huge boulder. The spark will be small, and the boulder will budge a few inches. Because there’s no open flame, no momentum yet.

But there’s a little bit of it.

Don’t feel bad about not exercising/reading/journaling/creating/working more or harder. What I’ve discovered is that these areas are all individual rhythms, and it takes a while to get in tempo for one, let alone several. It start with a single little push, a small purchase of a good book.

So start with buying a book instead of a beer. Maybe next time, you’ll buy another book, and increase your the size of your brain instead of the size of your belly.

That’s what I’m hoping.

Call to Action

Read more at StuffGradsLike.com.

-Anthony