What was your greatest epiphany?

[BrianB]

I decided to ignore the accounting definitions of Asset & Liability. For me:

ASSET = "Puts money in your pocket" (bonds / CD's, stocks, rental real estate)

LIABILITY = "Takes money out of your pocket" (Car, boat, personal house, hobbies)

W**k to buy assets, use income generated from assets to pay for liabilities.


BrianB

 

[jollystomper]

The most consistent epiphany of the ones I have experienced: you never know who is observing a situation you are in. I have been fortunate in that many opportunities, from friendships to financial benefits to romance to work to career (and even romantic temptations ) have occurred to me because of others I was not aware of observed how I dealt with with one or more situations, and liked what they saw.

 

[COcheesehead]

That you can be who you are, be successful, be happy, have friends …and just be you.

 

[Janet H]

Greatest epiphany: Lime juice improves almost everything

Other important lessons:
Learn to recognize your initial instinct in any given situation - it's almost always right.
Altruism is rare, really rare
Trust but verify

 

[Letj]

True in my experience. Over the course of my legal career, I questioned literally hundreds of witnesses, under oath, either in the courtroom or at a deposition. Every single one of them lied to me at least once, sometimes about the most trivial of things. How do I know? Because, if I asked a question, it was likely (approaching 100% probability if I was asking in court) that I already knew the answer based on documents or other witnesses.

Is it lying or mis-remembering? [emoji23]

 

[ivinsfan]

Is it lying or mis-remembering? [emoji23]

What I've run into is, if people think it's true they don't know they are lying, that's a hard one.

 

[Jerry1]

I did contract negotiations at a very high level/dollar amount. In one deposition the lawyer asked if I had lied. I don’t remember my exact response, but I did admit that I didn’t remember any negotiation where some untruth wasn’t spoken and that I expected as much from the other side.

 

[marko]

I had always assumed that there were three types of intelligence. Geniuses, "normal people" and those with severe mental problems. I had always thought that "regular" people were all of the same level of intelligence.

I was about 40 years old when, having spent a few days on the road with an employee that it slowly, slowly came to me that, while pretty normal and a good guy, he was quite dim. He just wasn't very bright. It just had never occurred to me that there'd be different ranges of normal intelligence.

 

[braumeister]

The biggest thing for me was realizing (the very commonplace observation) that I learned far more with my mouth shut than with it open.

 

[rodi]

My epiphany is probably obvious to most here is how I accelerated my FIRE plans.

My epiphany was that by diverting my gross income to savings or debt reduction - by maxing out 401k, maxing out employee discounted stock purchases, making extra principal payments on the mortgage... I would get to FIRE sooner. Sure the obvious is that you're saving more... But the epiphany came with the a-ha moment that we were also spending less... and the less you need to spend, the smaller the nest egg needs to be to retire. So I found new and creative ways to divert more money from what we had available to spend so that my 25 or 33x spending was a more achievable target amount.

Coworkers and I talked about it - all were convinced they couldn't live on what was left after maxing 401k and ESPP. They were shocked our family got by on so little. (And stated it as I ate a brown bag lunch, LOL.) But they are all still working and I've been retired for almost 8 years.

 

[brucethebroker]

In my early 20's, realizing that I am a morning person, and taking on the stressful or big thinking tasks as early in the day as possible.

I once had a night class that was about 1/3 math. The instructor saved the math until the end each night, from 8 to 9 PM. After ta couple of classes, I asked if it was possible to do the math part at the beginning, around 6 PM-I explained that I was running out of gas by 8. He agreed to the switch, and, for me, it was a whole lot easier.

 

[brucethebroker]

+1

 

[ScoopKona]

But the epiphany came with the a-ha moment that we were also spending less...

When my wife and I moved from the Keys to Las Vegas, I wanted solar on the roof.

The world's worst solar power salesman visited my house and said, "The main thing is to get your electricity use down to the point where you don't need a solar system. And then, you really don't need me to sell you anything."

He had graphs and data to back that up. I thanked him for the explanation and never did end up buying a solar system. My electricity bill six months a year was $40, and during the summer (May through October), it hovered around $100.

I *will* be buying a solar system here in Hawaii. Electricity is six times more expensive, and also six times less reliable here.

But it's the same with money. The less you need, the less you need. And the less you need to manage it. Epictetus nailed this 2,000 years ago.

 

[Car-Guy]

Years ago, I realized, that no matter where you live, there is at least one idiot/trouble maker down the street.

 

[Keim]

Years ago, I realized, that no matter where you live, there is at least one idiot/trouble maker down the street.

If you cant s0ot the idiot on the street. Well, you know the rest.

 

[REWahoo]

Discovering Albert Einstein was a real person. I'd been led to believe he was a theoretical physicist.

 

[NameTaken2]

Epiphany: A thankful heart is a happy heart.

In recent years, began appreciating on how fortunate I actually am after a medical scare and reflecting on my life.
I now give thanks every day that goes by with no health or other crisis to deal with, allowing me to enjoy living and my grandchildren.
Life is going well. When the bad days come this perspective helps to accept them.

 

[ERD50]

Discovering Albert Einstein was a real person. I'd been led to believe he was a theoretical physicist.

Can't wait to spring that one on my kids! I can already hear the groans.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

.... It just had never occurred to me that there'd be different ranges of normal intelligence.

Along those lines, it was early in my career at MegaCorp, that I learned that some extremely bright and capable people, way beyond my own level, could be so absolutely stupid in some other areas of life that seemed almost obvious to me. Often, that stupidity was in the area of personal finance. It struck me as very odd - this person is so bright (and I don't mean in a 'Rain Man' way, I mean generally bright), how can they not 'get this' simple concept?

And I know it also applied to me in someway - I could 'get' some things, and other things that I guess were easy for others to see, I had trouble grasping.

-ERD50

 

[Dalmore]

I had two major epiphanies.

The first occurred in college when I realized that the world was not black and white, but rather a continuous shade of gray. It was a paradigm shift that changed all my perceptions, philosophies, and judgements.

The second occurred once I was in the workforce. MegaCorp (or even SmallCorp) does not care about you one bit. The only thing they care about is how you help their bottom line.

 

[Rianne]

I used to roll my eyes at all the words of advice my mom would say. I realize that after she passed she was right on. Examples:

"Watch out for the other guy" usually refers to driving but applies in other situations.
"Don't waste that!" refers to food, water (like running the faucet too long), money
"Smile while your heart is breaking," I think from an old-time song. She often quoted old movie lines.

I miss her.

 

[dmpi]

The power of an apology.

I was driving and we were the only two cars on the road. Suddenly he cuts me off. I was mad as hell, thinking was I should do to this guy... A minute later when we go to the stop light. He pulls next to me, rolls down his wind and say's "Sorry I didn't see you." I so wanted to still be mad at the guy...but I couldn't do it.

 

[easysurfer]

The John Lennon quote "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

 

[kcowan]

My grade 7 teacher taught me to decide what I wanted in my life and act accordingly.

This included not being upset about low subject marks. She said "you have decided how much work you want to put into it". So some subjects of limited interest got less work and less reward. And similarly the ones of interest got more attention.

This carried over into what I chose to excel at in work and devise tactics to minimize the others.

RIP Miss Madden!

 

[Which Roger]

An introvert = a person that recharges themselves by spending time alone
an extrovert = a person that recharges themselves by spending time around other people.
Nothing more, nothing less.

This to me was a life game changer. I always wondered why I couldn't be around people even good friends for too long. I always thought there was something wrong with me.

This is spot on. DW and I both fit this to a tee. Especially when there are visitors staying with us. As much as we enjoy the visitors and the visit, we both look forward to retreating into our corners once they're gone.