Why Do You Continue to Beat Your Head Against the Wall?

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Why Do You Continue to Beat Your Head Against the Wall?

Guest Post By William D, Rodriguez, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, Retired

(I find it necessary to write this addendum response to Mr. Armond Croom’s Blog, “I’m Just a Poor Black Man Living in San Diego” with “Why Do You Continue to Beat Your Head Against the Wall?”)

When considering your happiness, especially if you are married and have children, two overall factors come to mind. All other factors in life, including your well-being, love, family, and friends, are directly affected by these two overall factors. If you are smart with your money, and you have ventured out to see more of the world, then these two overall factors will make sense to you. Most people who have lived full lives and with whom I discuss this topic will undoubtedly agree.

1) Cost of Living
2) Quality of Life

Please do not misunderstand me.

Several factors affect one’s happiness: spiritual, mental, financial, physical, and emotional well-being. Let’s focus on our money and wealth and how it drives and affects us.

The cost of living drives how we spend our money, and how much we have leftover—our positive or negative margin. This margin is the amount left over after all expenses, and other required obligations are paid. It truly determines what funds are left over to spend on things that make us happy, including investments for our future. This has a drastic effect on our quality of life!

Our quality of life can be determined by how much further our funds will stretch and how much financial margin we have to spend on those things that make us happy. Further, our quality of life is determined by the stress levels that are caused by the cost of living. Obviously, a lower cost of living will cause your finite funds to go further without having a negative margin.

To be blunt and get to my point, I will go a step further.

If you live in an environment where you are paid more, simply because the cost of living is higher than in other areas, and you may think that is great, you are most likely neglecting some facts; you have to spend more because your cost of living is much higher. You are, therefore, living for your salary and not the other way around.

The environment in which you live drives your salary and thus drives your cost of living. If you have not noticed, a higher salary is not necessarily a good thing if you live in an environment where the cost of living is higher. This alone causes the stress of having to make more because you spend more on basic necessities, and consequently, your quality of life is inherently driven by a downward trend!

Let me be frank, why do you continue to beat your head against the wall? Why do you live in an area, e.g., California, where the cost of goods and services, taxes, etc. is much higher than other parts of the country (and by the way, your state legislature raises your taxes without your vote … taxation without representation, eh?)? Why do you live in an area where you spend two to three hours a day commuting a short distance? Could this be an environmental concern? Again, why do you live in an area where the cost of living is so high that you need a higher salary just to make ends meet and to keep a modest if any, positive margin?

Let me give you a real-life personal example.

Based on my own analysis, I have been able to save over $1200.00 per month due to a lower cost of living by merely moving from California to North Carolina! There is no question about it that the cost of living in California is extremely high, and the quality of life is deficient. Look at turning this basic issue around in your life as well!

People will ask why you moved from such a “beautiful state,” California, where the weather and the scenery are “perfect.” Well, other parts of this country are just as beautiful, if not more beautiful. There are other states where the natural environment is cleaner, and the weather is nicer. I have been told that I must miss that California weather. Take a hard look at the weather, the air quality (which has become stale), and the quality of the water (which contains a large amount of sediment and other microbial debris), and you will see that the California environment is in a sharp decline. I might add that this environmental decline is a significant source of a lower quality of life!

Stretch Your Funds

Ideally, if you want to stretch your funds and live a better life, then look for an environment where the cost of living is low, and the quality of life is high. If you have the professional skills that are transportable, then for your own sake and the sake of your family, take the initiative and move to a better environment where the quality of life is high, and the cost of living is low! You will be happier and live a better life!

If you haven’t already, buy The Financial Effect e-book to get more insight on how to make financial decisions for your family, also subscribe to my blog.

Photo by Lital Levy on Unsplash

About the Author

Rear Admiral William D. Rodriguez, United States Navy, Retired

Upon graduation from The Citadel in May 1977 with a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, Rear Admiral Rodriguez was commissioned an Ensign through the NROTC Scholarship Program.  He immediately reported for duty aboard USS Thomas C. Hart (FF 1092) where he was designated as a Surface Warfare Officer.  In June 1980, he reported to the staff of (Tactical) Destroyer Squadron 32.

Rear Admiral Rodriguez attended the Naval Postgraduate School from 1982 to 1984, receiving a Master of Science Degree in Systems Technology (Command, Control and Communications with emphasis in Computer Science and Communications Engineering).  While at the Naval Postgraduate School, he was selected for lateral transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer Community.  His Engineering Duty Officer tours of duty included Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Long Beach, California in New Construction Shipbuilding; Electronics Material Officer and Combat Systems Maintenance Officer aboard USS Midway (CV 41); the Test and Evaluation Manager and Systems Engineer for the MILSTAR Joint Terminal Program Office at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command; and the Aircraft Carrier Service Life Extension Program Manager, and Deputy Assistant Program Manager for In Service Carriers, for the Aircraft Carrier Program Office, and the Group Director for the Integrated Information Systems Engineering Group in the Engineering Directorate at Naval Sea Systems Command.

From September 1994 to July 1997, Rear Admiral Rodriguez served as the Officer In Charge of the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center, In Service Engineering, East Coast Division, Norfolk Detachment, or NISE East Det Norfolk (formerly NAVELEX Portsmouth), located at St. Juliens Creek Annex, Portsmouth, Virginia.  From March 1999 to June 2004, Rear Admiral Rodriguez was the Program Manager for the Naval Electronic Combat Surveillance Systems and Maritime Cryptologic Systems, and subsequently, Program Manager for the Navy Command and Control Systems, including the Global Command and Control Systems – Maritime, at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and PEO C4I & Space.

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