Your personal finance program may be hard, but stick with it because nothing worthwhile is ever easy! Once you’ve decided to come up with a good financial program and stick to it, there is something pivotal that you must never forget: the real purpose behind your planning and behind the sacrifices you are making.
"MONEY: The mint makes it first,
it is up to you to make it last.”
- Evan Esar |
You see, sticking to a budget is hard. It means sacrificing some luxuries and eliminating the frivolous spending. It means controlling yourself and exercising self-discipline. In order to keep yourself committed to your personal finance program, you have to keep reminding yourself why you’re doing it. So why are you doing it? Because you want to get out of debt and STAY out of debt. You look forward to savoring the feeling of being completely debt-free. To not owe anyone anything will be a thrill. You’ll be financially independent, able to spend your money on whatever you want, no longer beholden to credit card companies and other lenders. That’s the prize you have to keep your eye on. If you lose sight of that goal, you’ll lose enthusiasm and eventually waver from your personal finance program. Keep yourself motivated by constantly remembering how great it will be to be out of debt. Never forget that by having more money at hand you are able to more readily take advantage of all the opportunities that life may hand you. Now, that’s real freedom. Remember that it’s not a selfish goal. It’s actually a noble, honorable one. Being out of debt is an admirable thing in our society. We are duly impressed when people accomplish it. You should be proud of the steps you’re taking to achieve financial independence. During the rough parts of your personal finance program, keep reminding yourself what you’ll do once you’re out of debt. Perhaps there are improvements you’ve always wanted to make on your home. Maybe there’s a vacation you’ve always wanted to take. Or maybe there’s nothing in particular you want. Maybe it’s just the great feeling of having extra money each month because you no longer have credit card bills to pay. No more worrying about whether you’ll be able to cover everything. What an extraordinary feeling, right? No personal finance program is easy to stick to. For it to be effective, it must involve some sacrifices. But by keeping the big picture squarely in view, you can overcome the inclination of spending, and ultimate win your financial freedom. Don’t focus on the minor inconveniences that occur now. Focus on the reward at the end of the journey, peace of mind and the satisfaction you’ll experience when you’re debt-free and committed to staying that way. When it’s all over, the relief you feel will make everything else worthwhile. Now that you debts are all paid off, you get to focus your efforts now on building long-term wealth! Don’t lose sight of the goal! Keep your eye on the prize!
"Money was never a big motivation for me,
except as a way to keep score.
The real excitement is playing the game.”
- Donald Trump |
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Debt is NOT your friend. It's not a wonderful "tool" for building wealth. That's a myth.
