How The "5 Why Method" Made Me Rich

 "We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like."

That infamous quote is from the movie Fight Club. It explains the unhealthy, normalized consumerism that drives so many people...and I used to be one of them.

Society told me I needed "things" to be attractive to women and to gain respect from my friends. So that's what I chased.

Our culture wants to keep people in line. It rewards those who obey its ever-changing, unwritten laws with ease and normalicy. You get to "fit in, the criticism is minimal, and shiny objects are promised along the way.

It didn't take long for me to realize how empty it all was. My brain has always worked to see trends and seek out the "truth" which has led to some dark and lonely places.

I was the kid who wanted to hit the beehive with a baseball bat just to see what would happen nex. Well, the "5 Why Method" ended up being a figurative baseball bat into the beehive of my desires.

Ok, enough bad poetry. Let's talk about the method and how you can use it to get rich like I did.

The Simplicity And Genius Of The "5 Why Method"

When humans see a problem, we naturally look for the fastest and easiest solution to fix it.

Unfortunately, most of the time, we are just fixing symptoms and not the "root cause" of the problem.

The 5 Why Method helps us get to the root cause of a problem. Here's what you do.

State your problem: “Sales are down”, “my relationship is failing” or "I'm getting fat". Then ask these questions in this order...

1. Why? (answer here)
2. Why? (answer again)
3. Why? (answer that)
4. Why? (one more time)
5. Why? 

Once you've asked "why" 5 times, you will likely end up at the root cause of the problem. The revelation of what is can be jarring at times.

But shedding light on the root cause gives you the opportunity to take action for meaningful change and is a powerful motivator because you've faced the "truth" of the matter.

People understand that being 100lbs overweight will likely make their life harder with an increased chance of diabetes, stroke, heart attacks and other ailments. But they keep eating crappy fast food 10x a week. 

There's a lot of relationships that should end. There's a lot of relationships that should begin. But they aren't where they should be because the people in them aren't seeking the root cause to their discontentment.

Using the 5 Why Method can illuminate that for those who are interested in the dangerous truth.

Using The 5 Why Method To Master Impulses

So how does this make you tons of money? That's simple.

If you want to be rich, take the advice of Greek philosphers that lived over a thousand years ago and take 10 minutes to "know thyself". 

Technology has changed over the millenia but humans are still the same creatures.

The majority of everything we buy is driven by emotional impulses, not logical reasoning.

Let's do the above exercise on a pair of shoes...