My friend’s a successful hedge fund manager in NYC. But expensive toys aren’t his thing. However, he recently splurged on a Porsche Taycan. And immediately regretted it. Why? He feels like a D-bag at the soccer pick-ups. The maintenance is stressful. He can’t shake the immigrant guilt of having nice stuff. “I should’ve just bought a Chevy Tahoe,” he lamented. ## Accepting your financial trade-offs This story hits home because when [I left the Wall Street grind](), I also left the possibility of [buying expensive shit](). And with the exception of [renting a home by the beach]() and some [$68 Velva Sheen T-Shirts]() – that’s totally OK with me. But for some reason, every time I see a Taycan I get giddy. I know absolutely nothing about cars. I can’t tell you the difference between a 911 or a Carrera. Heck, I don’t even know if I pronounce “Taycan” correctly. But it looks sweet. Well designed. Especially in the Frozen Metallic Blue. Yet the stark reality of the life of [a creative entrepreneur]() means that a car like that is probably out of the cards. ## Are you in love (with falling in love)? Many times the _idea_ of something is more appealing than _owning_ the thing itself. The idea of _a second home_ overshadows the _mental load_ of maintaining it. The idea of _[being famous]()_ overshadows the complete _loss of privacy_. We love the idea of _falling in love_ , but not the part when _the bloom is off the rose_ (and [resentment kicks in]()). ## What if it’s all a made-up story? My friend’s story showed that for many people, owning a Taycan is way more psychological than financial. After all, having [a phat bank account]() alone won’t [cure the scarcity mindset]() that you inherited from your immigrant parents. But what if you’re just bullshitting yourself? On the inaugural episode of [the Rad Friends Podcast]() my friend called me out on this _exact_ story. First, he pointed out that the Taycan is $86,000. Not cheap, but definitely something I could afford. Then, he challenged me to experiment. Rent one out, just to see if I like it. You can see in the exchange how uncomfortable I got. First, I hadn’t even looked up the price. Then, came the excuses. We don’t have an EV charger in our home. The vertical clearance on our driveway might scrape the bottom of the car. And I – most certainly – would care about looking like a d-bag driving a Porsche to get a gallon of milk. Paul made me see quite clearly, that the distant idea of owning a Porsche was more enticing than owning the Porsche itself. I was in love – with falling in love. ## Here’s how we can help you * [The Life Operating System](): Your home base for personal productivity. It combines tasks, notes, project management and a CRM in one place. * [Supercharge your Productivity](): Learn how our $10K Work method can help you improve your mind, career and relationships. * [Apply for our Group Coaching:]() Are you an executive or founder undergoing a career change? We’ll give you frameworks and accountability for this transition. * [Train Your Team on $10K Work](): Is your team busy, but without much to show for it? Teach your colleagues how to prioritize and identify leverage in your organization. * [The RadReads Newsletter](): Sign up for 5 actionable insights each Saturday for a life well-lived.