There is an old saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” That is so true in today’s superficial environment of self-promotion and bogus lifestyles. All too often, the media sends a message that, if we want to matter, we need to possess what others have: that new car, the bigger house, the high-end brands, the perfect face. We see what we think others have achieved and desperately want that existence for ourselves.
The extremes and expenses we will undergo for a goal that is not within our immediate capacity is not only costly, but time consuming and not always in our best interest. If not careful, we will become deeply intertwined with our credit cards, bank loans and mortgages to achieve an experience for which we are not yet ready. Our finances obviously suffer, but so do our relationships, our self-esteem, and our sense of peace. Addictions are born and self-doubt becomes our best friend. Why? Because we have not properly prepared our temperament for these choices.
Flattery is not communication; it is manipulation. And anyone can be manipulated unless they have a strong and infallible belief in their short and long-term objectives. You need to possess a sense of self. Your character, or your moral excellence and firmness, is built one boring brick at a time. It is a powerful defense in a world that would love to be able to seduce you, buy you, tempt you and change you. Character is what gets you past the avowed counterfeit promises. If you know what you believe and why you believe it, you will avoid making impulsive and thoughtless decisions, saving yourself thousands of dollars in unplanned expenditures and interest paid on superfluous loans, which are nothing less than dishonest money. As Proverbs 13:11 states, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money, little by little, will make it grow.”
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but on the contrary, quite painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
In other words, you achieve your ultimate goals through a series of smaller successes, as well as mistakes. You get used to the sensations of triumph and loss. You develop processes and decision-making tools and learn how to re-calibrate your plans until you achieve the next accomplishment. These smaller phases at the beginning of your journey prepare you for financial success at the top.
Like a marathon runner, you are learning discipline; that is, how to manage your behavior and expectations.
As your foundation is being established, your character fortress is becoming impenetrable, but most importantly, you are learning how to stand for something that is yours, so that you don’t fall for anything that isn’t.
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