Stay the Course

This is probably one of my favorite pictures. We are passing mile 3 of a 5k. My wife older son and I were set to run it and we had a sitter to watch these 2 boys while we ran, but she canceled the day before. So my wife ran it with my older son and I took these 2 with me. During the first half mile I rotated carrying them a bit, but it was getting out of hand. So I told them if they ran the whole thing from there out, they could have the medal. Well Levi (6) on the left was ready and full of energy, Kyle (5) agreed but took it slow. As you can see from the picture, Levi is complaining and I am reminding him that we have 1/10 of a mile to go. He is yelling at me, but when we crossed the finished line all that changes.

We have all heard the message when trying to make changes in our lives, it is hard. If you are like me, you have tried different things, at different times, some stuck some didn’t. Some were easy to implement and some were hard. Whether you succeed or fail, the key is to learn from each experience and make the necessary adjustments. Levi learned not to go out too fast (well not really), Kyle learned he could push a little harder. The next year I have pictures of them without me pushing them running full speed to the finish.

The last several weeks I provided you what I believe are the key pre steps to getting control of your money, Step 1 – Income and Net Worth, Step 2 – Budgeting, Step 3 – Debt Calculation. But now, as many would say is where the rubber meets the road. It is time to start pressing down on the accelerator and get started. If you have been dabbling and tapping around, what is holding you back? Get those steps done, lean in, make the time and start working it.

Truth is, many will give up after just the first week or two. Why? The path seems right, the prize seems right, BUT it is hard. If you are used to just going out to eat when you are feeling tired and hungry or forget your lunch, then yes this is going to be hard. Or maybe you are just used to not paying attention, swiping the card and just managing the balance accordingly, not really knowing the detail of how much you spend on groceries a month. I’ve been there, I’ve done that, and I can tell you that checking the budget to make sure you have the money to do something is really annoying. Yes, but the peace and the routine that will set in overtime will make it easier and over time it will be like nothing.

Last year I participated in this online challenge that required me to record 200 workouts (each 60 min.+) over the course of the year, 200 minutes per week and 200 calories per session. The truth is that this is actually really easy for me, I work out way above this threshold every year for the past 10+ years, so the act of doing the workouts is not the hard part. The hard part was remembering to track the workout on my watch each week. There were many workouts I started and forgot to start the watch…one day I had to get on the treadmill and run an extra half mile to make up for it and to hit my allotted time for the day. By the time the year ended it was a no brainer, I rarely ever forgot, but the first few weeks I forgot for at least the first few minutes everyday. It became such a habit that now I start my watch every time I workout for no reason other than it is part of my training now.

The same comes with building a savings mentality, conquering your debt and living on a budget. Initially it is hard, you want to buy something, you know you make enough money and should be able to afford it, but when you check the budget, the money isn’t there… What? Now you have 2 options, break down and ignore the budget, or realize you can’t tell yourself no, and stay focused. This is when the rubber meets the road. This is when you decide if you are really in or not. This is when change happens.

I guarantee you are going to face this more than 1 time over the next several months and each time you are going to decide if you are in or not. This is when you succeed, this is when you change actually happens. When you deny yourself and stick to the plan, you own it and you effect the change you want to make happen.

After all you decided to start this journey for a reason, so remember that reason when you think about giving in. Oh, if you give in and succumb to the temptation, forgive yourself and get back on it. Make the necessary adjustment OR return that thing you purchased (if you can) and stay the course. When you stay the course, you overcome temptation, you take control and you win.

Get after it now, don’t wait. Stay the course to achieve the dream.

Here is the finishing line photo. Notice how the agony is gone and the smiles come.