Hey Reader,

I used to think stress was the enemy. Turns out, it might be my secret weapon.

Between buying a home, growing my business, and just trying to keep my head above water this year, I've been stressed. Like, really stressed.

But here's what I recently learned: not all stress is bad. There are actually 2 kinds of stress that lead to completely different outcomes.

Distress is the bad kind. It's the type of stress that makes you feel stuck, out of control, like you're drowning in bills with no way out.

Eustress is different. It's the healthy tension that comes from chasing something that excites you. Like finally learning how to invest, or doing something challenging.

Building wealth isn't comfortable. It means doing hard things, stretching beyond what feels safe, and yeah... that can be terrifying.

So today, I want to talk about finding that sweet spot. The perfect balance where stress is pushing you forward instead of breaking you down.

The Goldilocks Zone

The Goldilocks Zone is a term astronomers use to describe the sweet spot where life can exist.

Unsurprisingly, the name comes from the story, “Goldilocks and the 3 Bears”. When Goldilocks wandered into the bears’ cabin, she found 3 bowls of porridge: one too hot, one too cold, and one that was just right.

And like Goldilock’s porridge, Earth sits in that “just right” zone around the sun, where it’s close enough to stay warm, but not so close that everything burns up.

The same idea applies to us: we grow best when our challenges are just right.

If you push too hard too soon, chasing goals that are unrealistic, putting constant pressure on yourself, or trying to juggle everything at once, you end up in the distress zone. You’re too close to the sun and will burn out.

But if you never push at all, you stay stuck. You’re too far from the sun, frozen in comfort, where growth can’t survive.

You need to find the eustress zone, where excitement pushes you to challenge yourself without burning you out.

When it comes to building wealth, the eustress zone is very personal. Challenges that make one person thrive can completely freeze someone else. It all comes down to finding what’s right for you.

My life could've been very different

Back when I was choosing my major in college, I almost didn't pick Economics because I sucked at math. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it was what I really wanted to study, so I went for it anyway.

Then I got a C+ on my first Calculus exam.

I felt a pit in my stomach. My Asian parents had raised me to think anything other than an A was basically failing. I seriously considered dropping the class. If getting an A wasn't possible, what was the point?

But something in me decided to stick it out.

I formed a study group with classmates. I signed up for free tutoring. I saw my TA (Teacher's Assistant) after every exam to review my work and I actually started going to office hours (shocking, I know). And after all that effort? I pulled off a B+.

Not great (by my Asian parent's standard) but I was happy with it. And more importantly, I learned something way more valuable than Calculus.

Even though I was stressed and had to confront my idea of failure, deciding to stick to Economics changed everything. Studying Economics led to a job on Wall Street, where I learned from some of the smartest and hardest working people, and eventually to the work I do today helping thousands of people, just like you, master their money.

That’s what eustress does. It stretches you just enough to transform you. If I had stuck to the easy classes, none of it would’ve happened.

Maybe you’re in a job where you’ve already hit your ceiling. You could play it safe and stay there, or you could lean into your eustress zone and take a course, learn a new skill, or reach out to someone in a new industry. You don’t need to quit tomorrow. You just need to start feeling a little uncomfortable.

Or maybe you’ve parked your money in a high-yield savings account because it feels safe. That’s fine… but maybe it’s time to start learning about investing and compound growth. You don’t need to go all in right away, just enough to feel a push.

If something stresses you, don’t immediately run away from it. Think about how good you will feel when you conquer the challenge.

The biggest obstacle to building wealth is comfort. You have to get uncomfortable, and yes, a little stressed, to create the change you’ll be grateful for down the road.

Sticking to what you know keeps you in the same place, wondering why nothing changes.

To making smarter money moves,

Vincent Chan

Cool things from this week

• Smart money tip of the week: If you want to build wealth, stop saying these words.​
• Stop Overpaying For Your Car Insurance: Prices for car insurance have gone up so much recently, so make sure you shop around. Annually shopping for new plans can get you lower payments AND better coverage. There are no penalties for switching, and it takes just a couple of minutes to check with this free tool I like to use.
• Gas is getting cheaper... so why does your gas bill keep going up?

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