You’ve heard the adage, “You Are What You Eat.” Likewise, “We Are What We Do.”
As the sum of dietary choices dictates one’s health, the sum of a person’s behavioral patterns produces the outcome of their life. Our approach to any small task determines how we meet the bigger tasks and challenges that we face in our lives, including how we treat our finances. Have you ever heard of lotto winners that were bankrupt within a few years of receiving their winnings? They unknowingly allowed themselves to be manipulated, simply because they were not practiced with handling the smaller things in life.
So, what does it mean not to be adept in the minor issues? Here are a few examples of behavior patterns, which are fertile ground for unleashing negative outcomes:
1) Not being present. When not in the moment, we tend to operate on automatic and that means loads of mistakes, which then need correction. Cooking, grocery shopping, making plans with friends and bill paying, to name a few, all must be done with purpose or we have to restart the process of correcting unintended slipups … wasting time, energy and effort.
2) Fear of losing control, or not knowing the future, generates a reactive nature. When triggered by fear, we can react with habits of anger, lying, addiction, impulsivity, irresponsible purchases, risk avoidance or just giving up. When fear affects our finances, we have a problem, Houston.
3) Half-Ass approach or laziness. One of my favorite references concerning the sin of laziness is in Proverbs 26:13, “The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!” If that isn’t the mother of excuses… But seriously, always taking shortcuts or defending inaction is just not productive.
Conversely, barring outside influences, Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. And that’s where Faith comes in. We have to choose to trust in the Universe, in God, and believe that we were created for success. Once your head and heart are wrapped around this foundational Truth, you will find yourself being more resolute, thereby establishing strategic, careful, able, and wise habits.
Mindset is 80% of our life’s success. If you tell yourself to do something (intention) and you accomplish it (action) – you trust yourself more, and you’ll do more of the same (habits). If you’re truthful, even when it’s inconvenient (courageous action), then it’s easier to be truthful in other areas of life (character building).
If you focus on your finances with a specific goal in mind (intention), you’ll be incentivized to achieve your emergency fund, pay off that first credit card and the next one, and the next … and before you know it, you are saving and investing (actions). And now, you are able to give to others (character).
Bottom line: Wherever you go in life, there is your choice.
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