993. What's Your Number?

0:00So, I have a question for you. What's your number? Like, what's the number where life would finally feel, okay, like you wouldn't have to worry anymore, where you could say, I made it. Is it a half million a year? Is it a million? Five million? Ten million? Or maybe it's a monthly number, 10,000 a month, 20,000 a month, 50,000 a month. Whatever that number is, we all have one. And it's ingrained in us to chase that number, to fight for that number, to manifest that number, like to speak it into the universe. And I want to challenge that idea this morning. Hell, I'm challenging it for me.

1:00I'm just speaking it and sharing it with you in hopes that maybe this causes you to rethink what that number is. And I hope by the end of the episode that you'll look at that number differently. And maybe even suspend the number altogether. Because truth be told, I don't want to live in just enough, but I don't want to chase more than enough either. I really believe that real freedom comes when you stop chasing a number after all. And this is radical, man, because I was like, whoa, that's, that's not, that's not how I've been raised. That's not how society has raised me. That's not what all these books that sit behind me tell me.

2:01And so I challenged the number and now look at adopting a mindset of enough. And I could tell you what triggered the thought this morning. I was reading Tolstoy about to go to another book, never even got to it. Because I pay attention to things that snag my soul. And I read it and then I kept coming back to it and I just was like, I can't go to anything else and write about it enough was the word that just kept popping up. And he wrote this, riches never satisfy. The more you have, the more you want to have to a swage, your appetite. A swage means to satisfy your appetite. Think about that. Riches never satisfy. They don't. And you've been rich in some area of your life. You've had more money than you've ever had before.

3:02And you've been in a place where it's like, damn, dude, where's this stop? It's never enough. Because the more you have, the more you want. He said, even the greatest riches cannot satisfy the person who is seeking more, more wealth. That is the line right there that may be stopping ask the question, like, Marsh, what's your number? And dude, I have struggled with this number my entire life because I thought I had to have a number. But the number always moved. And I've never really, like, emotionally tied into a number. Is it five million? Is it a million? Is it five hundred thousand? Is it a billion? I mean, I've been all over the place. And I've never, like, emotionally just latched in to that number. And I think back to when I first started in car sales back in 1998

4:07and I was standing outside on point for those of who were in the car business. We're standing outside on the lot, waiting for a customer to come in. And I was talking to another salesperson, bacon in the Louisiana heat. And he said, you see that sales manager right there? They were dressed nice. They're always starched, just clean. He said, man, those guys haven't made. They make like six grand a month. And I remember, I mean, to this day, 28 years later, I remembered to the day where I was like, bro, if I could only make six grand a month, life would be great. That would be more than enough. Only years later, a blue rub past that number. What about eight thousand? What about 10?

5:09What about 12? What about 15? What about 20 plus? It never stops. It never ends. Because when riches become the object of your desire is never enough. There's always another level. And you can always justify it. There's always a reason why you need a little bit more. And this hit me this morning. Maybe the problem isn't the number. Maybe the problem is thinking there should be a number after all because numbers move, numbers change. They're based on your current circumstances, your obligations, your fears, of today.

6:09But life doesn't stand still. Problems never stop. And the unexpected should always be expected. That's why I don't want to live in just enough. When people say I want to have just enough, they're taking their current circumstances and situation, but they're putting a cap on it and saying, this is just enough. But see, just enough is fragile because it only solves the problems of today that you see today. But you're not factoring in the unexpected. What happens then? Then you get to scrambling. But there's a very fine balance to this because I don't want to chase more than enough either. Because more than enough becomes insatiable, addictive even.

7:11The more you achieve, the more you accumulate, the emptier you feel. Because along the way, something gets sacrificed. Some things get sacrificed. Your faith, your family, your fitness, your fulfillment, something always gives. I know because I've lived that. So instead of chasing a number, I started thinking about this differently this morning. My number is no longer a number. My number is enough. Because I believe enough is the greatest mark of wealth. Enough isn't measured in dollars. Enough is measured in mindset. Enough keeps me grounded. Keeps me grateful.

8:14Keeps me hungry, but not full. Secure, but not spoiled. And here's the beautiful part of enough enough from the outside. You would think saying enough would make you complacent. It's not that way at all. Because think about it enough frees you to compete. You're no longer chasing money. You're chasing mastery. You're chasing growth. You're chasing involvement. You're chasing better. Because in the betterment, I'm developing within the five life skills. I'm being a better communicator. Not only with myself, but with others. I'm curious. Instead of making judgments, I'm asking questions. I'm creative, not bitching about what I don't have.

9:14I use what I have. I'm a continuous learner and I apply it to action every single day. And I'm productively confront. See, I'm developing in those in those five skills. So that even when life knocks me down, I can always create enough to get back up. That's sobering. That's freedom. That's real security. Security's not. It's not found in a number in the bank. It's in the unlimited capacity inside of you. And this is something that I'm realizing. Enough is something that I get to choose every single day. Because every day stands on its own. That's why it's called present for a reason. Every day stands on its own. Some days I win.

10:16Some days I fall short. But tomorrow, I get to do it again. That's grace. The enough keeps me grounded. The enough keeps me grateful. It keeps me growing. So maybe the real question isn't what your number may be the real question is what does enough look like for you today? Keep it simple. Keep it moving. Never settle. Stay tough. Peace.