Bad habits can be really expensive.
But I’m not talking about how much money you spend on alcohol or other indulgences.
I’m talking about future costs.
Let’s say you regularly eat fast food because it’s cheaper than healthier options. Well, down the road you’ll probably have some very expensive medical bills. Saving a few bucks on lunch every day might wind up costing tens of thousands in a decade or two.
So eating healthier (but more expensive) food is actually cheaper in the long run. Plus there’s the non-monetary cost of poor diet: feeling crummy, being less physically capable, and a shortened lifespan.
The same principle applies to paying for a gym membership, buying home exercise equipment, or hiring a personal trainer. Yes, these things are expensive, but they can ultimately save you money by preventing expensive medical treatments and hospital stays. Plus they add years to your life and life to your years.
What about bad habits that get in the way of quality sleep? Staying up late binging Netflix or scrolling through Instagram in bed leads to poor sleep, which causes all sorts of problems. Sleep-deprived people have lower willpower, less energy, and reduced intelligence. This leads to poor work, which can cause your career or business to suffer. So bad sleep habits can actually be very expensive. Poor sleep also contributes to physical and mental health problems, which are costly in a variety of ways.
Replacing your bad habits with healthy ones is difficult and often has an upfront cost. But the problems and expenses that come down the road are far worse. Changing your life now is a cost you pay once. Failing to change will force your future selves to pay over and over again.
Perhaps you’ve considered habit coaching but were deterred by the price. With this article in mind, take another look, and compare the cost of coaching to the true cost of staying on your current path. Paying someone like me to help you change your behavior might be a very wise investment.