Living in the wealthiest country in the history of the world it can be hard to gain perspective on just how good we live. This isn't said to be condescending, it's just a fact of life. In many ways, we're products of our environments. And in this case, our environment is one in which all of the basics are provided for coupled with an inundation of advertising for luxuries. So hopefully, this will help with that.
First, priorities: air, water, food, shelter. Yup. That simple. In America, all of that is generally a given. If you are reading this, it means you have access to the internet in some capacity. Awesome, most of the world doesn't, and will never read this awesome blog. But remember the necessities. Air, water, food, shelter. Pretty much everything else is a luxury.
Second, due to the fact that the essentials are so cheap, we tend to forget about them. Seriously. Natural gas for a home is under $50 a month. Water is provided at about $20 a month, and electric is usually around $100. That's amazing if you take a second to think about it. But what ends up happening is we end up shifting our focus to the things we want. We should stop and be thankful for the things we have.
Third. Chasing after luxuries is only going to get you mad. I'm not going to lie. I would love a brand new truck. Brand new trucks are 40k. And I've decided its not worth it. As much as I like the truck, I don't want the payment. So my two-year plan is to buy a truck under 15k. Something classic, that'll get the job done. I'll take the other 25k, and do something productive with it rather than deal with a huge payment for 6 years! So let the luxuries go. Chances are you're only giving yourself despair.
Fourth. Be realistic about your life. What you need to do is follow God, lead your family, and be loyal to your friends. You need a job. What you want is probably something totally different. Now don't take this the wrong way. You need to be motivated for goals. But the wrong goals will only get you in trouble. Chasing cars, and money, and houses is a dead end. Accept the fact that you probably won't be the next famous actor, or musician, or whatever, and get on with your life. Also, you don't need a lottery ticket, you want to chase a fantasy.
Always keep an eye on your needs. And work hard. Be realistic about life. Too many of the new generation grow up thinking that riches will just befall them. Too much advertising. You need to plan, and work. If your plan includes having a pile of cash, but no way to actually get it. You're wrong. And learn to live with less, and be happy with it. Don't mess with your mind over the shiny things. It's a waste of time.