I come from a family of “owners.”
Growing up, I was taught to BUY a house, not rent… to BUY the car instead of leasing it.
But after years of playing the ownership game, I came to realize that ownership rarely bestows the benefits typically ascribed to it.
I realized that we are seduced by the myth of ownership.
First off, you never truly “own” your house.
Your bank owns it.
Even if you’ve paid off your mortgage, you still don’t own it. The city does. Stop paying property tax and they will take it from you.
If you’re a rep in an MLM, you don’t “own your own business,” no matter what they tell you in the fancy brochure.
You are a cog in their sales machine… the machine the creators of the MLM company built and own.
Before you invest your time, money, or heart into a house, car, boat, or business opportunity… DO THE MATH.
Does the BENEFIT of ownership outweigh the BURDEN of ownership?
Quite often, when examined honestly, the answer is no… and when it is, you must exercise the disciple to REFRAIN from ownership.
Or, in the case where you already have assumed ownership, to DIVEST your ownership.
Don’t invest your time, money or heart into something you may, on paper, “possess,” but doesn’t confer the true benefits of ownership.
Walk away.
Save yourself for the things that truly flourish through ownership:
Your mission.
Your art.
Your calling.
Your conduct.
Your reputation.
Your relationships.
Your roles.
Your responsibilities.
Minimize ownership in things. Maximize ownership in missions.
Your future self will thank you.
Owning material things is just a diversion from owning the non-material things we are responsible for as human beings. Man prefers to break his back in hard labor rather than to explore his own mind and invest in the people and experiences that naturally surround him. – Shane on TWM