NFA Finance

There’s something to be said for keeping shit simple.

Tonight it was a 1.8-pound T-bone, a cast-iron skillet full of potatoes, a hot grill, and a Florida sunset.

That was it.

No reservation. No waiting for a table. No $200 dinner bill. No complicated recipe with 17 ingredients.

Just a good piece of beef, kosher salt, some potatoes, and fire.

And it was damn near perfect.

Back to Simple

I think we have a tendency to overcomplicate everything.

Business. Money. Fitness. Food. Life.

We’re constantly being sold the idea that the next thing is going to make everything better. A better restaurant. A better car. A better house. A better vacation. A better whatever.

Meanwhile, some of the best moments are ridiculously simple.

I threw this T-bone on a screaming-hot grill and put a cast-iron skillet next to it with some potatoes.

The steak started sizzling. The fat hit the flame. Smoke started rolling out of the grill.

That smell alone will remind you why mankind figured out fire in the first place.

A 1.8-Pound T-Bone Doesn’t Need Much Help

I didn’t do anything crazy to the steak.

Kosher salt. Heat. Pay attention.

That’s about it.

When you’re starting with a good steak, you don’t need to bury it under a bunch of shit. Get a hard sear on it, let the fat render, cook it where you want it, and leave it alone.

The outside developed that deep, dark crust I wanted while the inside stayed right where I like it.

The potatoes cooked alongside it in cast iron, picking up that same smoky grill flavor and getting browned around the edges.

By the time everything hit the plate, I wasn’t thinking about going anywhere else for dinner.

There’s a Money Lesson Here Too

This is NFA Finance, so of course I’m going to bring money into it.

But I don’t mean this in the typical “stop buying coffee and you’ll become a millionaire” way.

I hate that shit.

I’m talking about understanding what you’re actually paying for.

There are nights when I want to go out. I love a great restaurant, and I’ll happily spend money on an experience that’s worth it.

But spending money simply because spending money has become the default is different.

Tonight, I could have gone somewhere and ordered a big steak, potatoes, drinks, paid the markup, tipped, and easily spent a pile of money.

Instead, I stood at my own grill.

I cooked exactly what I wanted.

Then I sat down with a massive T-bone and potatoes while the sun was dropping behind the trees.

Tell me exactly what I was missing.

Wealth Isn’t About Never Spending Money

I’ve never believed that building wealth means living like you’re broke.

What’s the point?

The goal is freedom.

Freedom to spend money when something matters to you—and the ability to recognize when spending more doesn’t actually make something better.

That’s a distinction people miss.

Sometimes the $300 dinner is worth every penny.

Sometimes the better experience is sitting at your own table with a 1.8-pound steak you just pulled off the grill.

Knowing the difference is part of the game.

Tonight, This Was Better

Maybe that’s what I’ve been appreciating more lately.

Simple wins.

Get some work done.

Fix something.

Clean something up.

Make progress.

Fire up the grill.

Eat a ridiculous steak.

Watch the sun go down.

Then wake up tomorrow and do it again.

There doesn’t always need to be some massive event attached to having a good day.

Sometimes you just need a hot grill, a big-ass T-bone, and enough sense to appreciate exactly where you are when you’ve got it good.

Stack daily wins.

— Nicholas Francis
NFA Finance