I had a good friend that used to say this. We talked several times about settling, from everything ranging from material goods to personal relationships. Settling is such a devious thing because it can become a habit.
"Good enough is the enemy of greatness."
Everytime you settle for something less than you want, a part of your dream dies. And each time that it happens, you become more resigned with the life that is claiming you. You give up on the life that you wanted and accept the one that is offered to you.
"Don't settle," doesn't mean that you have to have the best of everything. It does mean that you can get what you want.
For example, I buy the cheapest sunglasses that I can find. I have several pairs. I don't lose them like I used to but they end up getting scratched or like my last pair, snapped in half by my son who was testing their strength. It also means that I usually have a pair around where I need them. If I leave a pair in the car, I probably still have one in the house so if my wife has the car, I still have some sunglasses. I have thought about buying expensive sunglasses but at this point in my life (or rather, my son's), I don't see the point.
Most people get stuck where they have backed themselves up into a financial corner and they have little choice on what they can purchase. Settling just becomes a way of life and it can effect so many things beyond just what you can buy.
Tomorrow: more on settling