If you’re stuck in a rut in any aspect of your life, this post is meant for you. It’s mostly just a teaser for deeper thoughts on the idea of changing behavior, and how adjusting to marginal cost can make it happen.

With the holidays and New Year upon us, everyone wants to make changes.

As gas prices rise, you are less likely to hop in your car for a questionably worthwhile trip. What if you didn’t have a car and used a car rental or sharing service? How would that change your behavior? You’d think a little more deeply if it cost you $10 to $20 to drop off your dry cleaning or grab a cup of coffee.

Are you sick of the go-go lifestyle, but feel constrained? Reduce your footprint, spend less on the front-end. Force yourself to think more about activity in strict marginal cost. Don’t overextend yourself with your home. Don’t buy that vacation home, timeshare. Don’t lock yourself down to any one choice.

You want to lose some extra pounds? It’s never been about depriving yourself. Reduce your consumption footprint: drink diet sodas, eat healthier on a regular basis. (And, of course, increase your exercise.) Being able to think about food on a marginal cost is actually more liberating than annoying. If you want that piece of cheesecake, you know there’s a cost but you can justify a one-time cost on a marginal basis to make yourself happy just that instant.

It boils down to this: if you have a big base of cost, you lose flexibility in your choices based on each choice’s marginal cost. I believe you also lose some of level of freedom and ultimately happiness.

This is a natural occurrence, most obvious in economics and sociology. It affects your life whether you like it or not.

It’s just another way of looking at an on-demand lifestyle, but focused towards making changes in your life and behavior. Circumstances in consumerism, environment, and consumption make it such that I think most people will be happier thinking about choices that are heavy on marginal cost.

Rental and Leasing enabled by iLetYou creates a marginal cost model. Your thinking is more greatly dictated by the true cost here and now.  Many will and have come around to this way of thinking.

If you want to change your behavior, think about how to “Make It About Marginal Cost” in all aspects of your life.

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