Whether it’s health or finances, you likely see an endless stream of hacks on social media. “Here’s how to get rich fast by investing!” “Here’s how I lost 20lbs in one day!” Sometimes the content creators have slightly more sense than these titles and add in some nuance, but the content remains the same. Creators want you to believe they know something special that no one has ever learned before.
Sure. You could eat a $5 Costco chicken and vegetables for every meal for the next two years. You would likely save a lot of money, as that $5 gets you at least a pound of protein and vegetables are inexpensive. Heck, you would probably also lose a decent bit of weight if you controlled those portions and only ate protein and vegetables! You would be doing it, hacking.
In reality, these strategies don’t work because life isn’t that simple. You would likely really struggle with any diet that asked you to only eat the same two or three things per day. Walking into Costco would also likely bait you into buying more variety, as the store has a lot to offer, so you probably wouldn’t limit your budget to a $5 chicken and vegetables.
Instead of focusing on hacks, focus on the incremental improvements that you can make in your life. Spend a little less money on things that don’t bring you lasting joy. Eat a few less empty calories. Use tools to track these improvements over time and note the results as months or years pass. You will see big improvements, just like in investing, it just takes time. That’s the secret that hackers don’t tell you.