THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ‘FIRSTS’

You never forget your first time. It’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s stuck around for a reason. Life, or maybe more accurately, the best lives, are a collage of firsts. Open any self-help book, or hot take top 10 list on the secrets of self improvement and you can bet your bottom dollar that in there somewhere is the phrase ‘try something new’ or some variation on it. Firsts are memorable because they are the birthplace of opportunity.

You don’t remember what you had for breakfast last Tuesday because you’ve had breakfast thousands of times. What you do probably remember, is the first (and perhaps only) time you ate frogs legs, or the first time you drank a glass of champagne. Not because these are the finer things in life (trust me, I’ve eaten frogs legs there’s nothing fine about them), but because they were unique when you experienced them.

Doing something for the first time is to do something new. That much is pretty self explanatory. But why, in fact, do we make that step? As a baby, pretty much every act is a first, and so babies have an irrepressible curiosity. As we get older more variables come into play, we come to know more about the world and our interactions with and within it. From every choice and action we see an ever expanding spider web of reaction and change. The things we do carry more weight and so naturally we tread more lightly. But knowledge and foresight can be a cage. Routine is comfortable and uncomplicated, hence why ‘firsts’ can be so anxiety-inducing. Without the fulfilled expectations of routine, the mind is left to wonder and speculate about what will follow, and that can be as terrifying as it is exciting.

It sounds as if routine and variety stand as polar opposites but that isn’t quite the case. A lot of the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ with regards to the taking of steps into the wide unknown comes from what’s close and personal. A positive emotional environment, one of acceptance and understanding of other viewpoints and perspectives on a local and personal level is integral, in that those foundations foster an open mind, one that is willing to take on new challenges and experiences. This can even come down to physical spaces, and maybe not in the way you’d think. To make a gross generalisation, rural and secluded communities can often lead to inward looking and lives reliant on repetitive creature comforts. It doesn’t take a sociology degree to connect the dots there. However bubbles and echo chambers exist everywhere, even on the great expanses of the free and chaotic internet and in our hyper-connected modern lives. An open and considered mind, one capable of setting their sights on broad horizons and finding their way there by clear and discernable landmarks, will stumble upon a great many firsts along the way.

Changes big and small can make all the difference, and firsts, big and small, have the power to change not only our lives but how we view them.

Making a first time investment may seem scary; the different ways to invest in real estate, where to buy a property, how to buy a property, all those questions can swarm up like a cloud of bees. It can all seem quite daunting, but it doesn’t have to be, with the right help. The power of investment and property buying can broaden your world in not only financial terms. Whether you’re branching out on your own street, one state over or in Tokyo, don’t underestimate the power your first investment can have. And of course, a ‘first’ is just as it implies, just think of all that has the power to come along after.

I ask this then, how much of your life do you remember? How much of your life can you predict? If the answer is ‘not much’ and ‘most of it’, then maybe it’s time for a few more firsts. And for that, you’re in the right place.

For ideas and inspiration, here are some of the Firsts I have completed in the last 12 months

If you would like to talk more about taking your ‘First Step’ in Property Investing, or anything and everything property, let’s connect.