Fat Wallet…

I have a fat wallet! Now normally, if I were to say that, I would get excited because it would seem that it was fat for a reason… filled with a lot of bills that are green in color. That’s the good kind of fat wallet. Unfortunately, my wallet is not fat for that reason. Follow along and let me explain.

Ever since I was young and had a little money, I’ve always carried a wallet. I remember seeing my dad with his wallet and wanted to emulate him by carrying one, too. Not that his wallet was loaded with a lot of cash, I just thought it was very cool and very grown-up. My dad had a wallet that held lots of, what I can only assume, was very important stuff.

As a child I remember going through it and seeing pictures, notes, credit cards and occasionally there was a few dollars in there. I would sometimes ask for one of those dollars to buy some candy or a drink and if he had it, he would happily oblige. My dad didn’t have a lot, but with what he had he was generous to a fault.

I remember wanting to be like my dad so much that I couldn’t wait to be old enough to have a wallet and fill it with things.

I’ve probably only had 3 or 4 wallets in my whole life. I tend to keep them probably for sentimental reasons or maybe I’m just too lazy to change them out with newer ones. Now, if you compare the number of wallets that I’ve had to the number of purses that my wife has had, I’m not sure if I could remember the number of bags that she has possessed since we have been together. She’s going to read this so I better lay off of her bag situation.  😊

My wallet has been on my mind the last few weeks not because I want to fill it (which I do, don’t get me wrong), but because of a recent road trip that I took with my wife, my brother-in-law and one of my adult sons.

My brother-in-law lives overseas and we were excited when he announced he was going to come and visit us. We had not seen him since before COVID and we really enjoy his company. After his long flight to the United States, we decided we would travel to our home state and visit family and reminisce about old times. We decided to drive rather than fly.

Now the drive is about 11 hours … it is a long drive that goes through some incredible scenery. It is a mixture of green countryside, desert landscape and mountains. This trip is always an amazing experience.

It was a great drive filled with music and conversation. I believe we solved the world’s problems on that drive, as well as rediscovered what it was like to move at our own pace and not be in a rush.

For me, there was only one problem. How should I how shall I say this in a delicate manner… my right rear backside hurt during the entire 11-hour trip.

After we arrived at our destination my brother-in-law noticed my limp and asked me about my discomfort. I explained that I had a difficult time sitting for so long. He looked at me and immediately diagnosed the problem. He asked me to take out my wallet so that he could examine it.

He said, “well that’s your problem, and it used to be mine. You have a fat wallet and that is possibly pinching a nerve on your backside, or you are sitting on it in such a way that is causing your soreness.”

He told me that he used to have the same problem with his wallet as it was thick and fat. He said that he did not know why he always felt discomfort in that area until he discovered it was because of the size of his wallet.  He made the decision to simply empty his wallet of stuff that he didn’t need and carry a smaller one in his front pocket. Things immediately improved. He told me he even stopped going to his chiropractor.

He then pulled out this little piece of leather that held a few cards and his ID. I was astonished and asked, “that’s it?” He told me that giving up all the extra unnecessary things he was carrying around changed his life, at least in that area. I listened with interest but in my mind I was saying, “he’s crazy, where does he keep all the stuff that he may need.”

I didn’t think much of it after that initial conversation until we took the 11-hour trip back home and realized he was right. I needed to make a change and eliminate my fat wallet.

So, I started to go through my wallet to see what I needed to keep. And what I found was it was filled with a lot of things that were unnecessary, some things I didn’t even know I had and some things I had not seen nor thought about in years (PS, let me know if anyone is interested in an expired 2012 coupon for free fries). Since the invention of the camera phone, I don’t have pictures in my wallet anymore. Most things are digitally purchased now, therefore I don’t need a lot of paper money. And I have so many other things in that wallet that I am embarrassed to say are totally unnecessary.

Here’s an actual picture of my current fat wallet. The picture does not do it justice of how uncomfortable this thing is in my back pocket.

I have started to research online new means for carrying around my stuff and have discovered that there is a world filled with sleek and functional wallets. My son even turned me on to this metal wallet that he keeps in his front pocket that produces his credit cards and ID at the push of a button.

It is time to get rid of my fat wallet and it’s time to get rid of the stuff inside that has no use.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Having a wallet filled with a lot of things that are unnecessary is like having my computer filled with a lot of things and programs and documents that I absolutely do not need.

When I decided to start my online business, I began collecting stuff. I acquired so many articles, digital products, applications, bookmarks to links of online businesses and so much other stuff that I told myself I was going to need.  To date, I have not referred to or used most of this material to assist me in my business ventures.

Fortunately, I’m frugal (that’s a fancy way of saying cheap) and I didn’t spend a lot of money on this stuff. I just collected it.

This is not the first time I’ve talked about this as I blogged before about it in a post titled Souvenir Obsession. I get trapped into my own sentiment and my foolish thinking that I might need to have this stuff someday.

I am currently in the process of cleaning out the stuff on my computer that I don’t need, don’t want or have forgotten that I even had. I have found that hitting the delete key and emptying the trash can is liberating! I have a long way to go as it seems I have collected quite a lot over the last few years.

I was recently on a call with one of my mentors and this topic was discussed in detail. The question was asked why we were hanging on to things that just didn’t matter? If we have everything we need and know where to find the resources we discover we are lacking, why do we need to continue collecting stuff or hanging on to things that are unnecessary.

That really hit home! I am using a system right now that is not only one size fits all, but has everything that I need to run my entire business. In the next few weeks I will be talking about this system and explaining its functionality and how it has simplified my business in a way where I don’t need to continue to acquire stuff. Stay tuned to my blog posts as I’m excited to be able to share this resource with you in the future.

Along with this system, I have my mentors and my peers to assist me when needed. I have a very supportive wife and family who believe in me. I have encouraging friends who are working their regular jobs but wonder how I’ve been able to sustain myself and my family while building this business.

I can’t wait to be able to share with them how I am running my business and I have no doubt that a few of them may want to follow along and become their own boss and take charge of their own future.

I am not sure where you live, but Tuesday is trash day for us. That’s the day that we get to take out all of our trash and recyclable material to the alley where the rubbish is picked up. Today might just be the day where I add to that pile by getting rid of some of the stuff that is cluttering my life in my wallet.

I am a work in progress, but I now ask myself three things before I acquire items for my business:

1. Is this a true business need or just a reaction to pressure, trends, or fear of missing out?
2. How will this integrate into my current systems or workflow—and what will it replace or improve?
3. Will this contribute measurable value or growth to my business in the next 30–90 days?

What about you? Do you have unnecessary things that are clogging up your computer or clogging up your life or just plain being a distraction to your success? I challenge you to inventory your stuff and keep only the important things.  Consider simplifying your life and business by eliminating some of your unnecessary stuff.

Now I’m off to continue to search for that sleek wallet that I can carry in my front pocket so that on my next long road trip I can focus on the scenery and not the pain in my…well you know!

“Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor—it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.” — Peter Walsh

“Business growth often requires cutting away the deadwood.” — Richard Branson

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

My wallet and I had a falling out…Now it’s feeling a little folded under pressure.

I told my clutter to clean up its act…It said, “I’m a mess-terpiece!”

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

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