Today’s topic may be considered controversial by some and I may get judged for it. On the other hand, some may actually like it and have a breakthrough. Whichever reaction this episode sparks in you, I just want to clarify that my podcast is all about understanding how wealthy people think and giving you alternate ways of thinking when it comes to your views on money and how you want to embrace and pursue it. The following story is just one way to personify how wealthy individuals think and act vs. how the everyday person does.

So, Lori and I went surfing this past weekend to recharge. We drove down to the beach, unloaded our boards and proceeded to the parking ticket line. Because it was a weekend, you can imagine the line was long (about 11 people deep from our position). Quickly figuring out that it was taking each person around 5 minutes to get their ticket, I knew I didn’t want to waste nearly an hour to get ours. So, I walked over to the ticket attendant and asked what the fine would be if we didn’t have a ticket. He said $50. With a ticket price of $15, I made the decision to park the truck without a ticket and pay the extra $35.

Why? Simply put, the extra $35 wasn’t worth my time. Nor was it worth getting ticked off and potentially putting a damper on our day.

“Sometimes rules are just guidelines – depending on what your values are.”

Now I’m sure there were some people in line that saw me speak to the attendant and then park my car without a ticket, and thought, “what a rich asshole.” But the fact of the matter is, I was just making a decision based on result of my time/money equation.

“Is it worth X amount of dollars for me to do Y?”

Time is the most valuable thing you have, so use it wisely. I would love to hear your thoughts on this lesson. Please share if you had a breakthrough or if you think I should have followed the rules. I love hearing all perspectives.