If I’ve learned anything in life it’s simply this. Wanting something just isn’t enough. I have to also be willing to take immediate, decisive, and continuous action.
- “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Action will destroy your procrastination” – Og Mandino
- “Opportunities multiply as they are seized” – Sun Tzu
- “If you don’t have daily objectives, you qualify as a dreamer” – Zig Ziglar
- “Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get” – Ingrid Bergman
- “Winning is not everything but wanting to win is” – Vince Lombardi
People occasionally come to me for coaching or consulting around their finances. I always try to remember to ask them one simple question, “If you could change one thing about your current finances, what would it be?” The most common answer is “If I could just make more money.” There’s a lot of wanting in that statement.
I think I want more money. I think I want to get out of debt. I think I want to learn how to invest. This is how most of us think when it comes to money matters. All the wanting in the world never got me anywhere.
When it comes to unhappiness or wanting change I love what my Mom used to say, “Greg, when your plate is full you’ll walk away.” Thank you Mom for that awesome kernel of life wisdom. I’m passing that kernel on to you today. You may say you want to get out of debt. You may say you want to make more money. But until you decide and act, nothing will ever happen for you.
I speak to small groups of people about finances on occasion. It’s probably my favorite thing to do. I always try to recommend a good book; one I’ve personally read and acted on as a result. I’ve come to realize a very rare percentage of people will actually go get the books and read them. That’s OK. My job is to share the information. I can’t make people want change.
Jim Rohn said “That’s why they put the good stuff up on the top shelf. You have to stand on the books you’ve read to reach the top shelf.”
So you say you want to be financially free? I began that journey 5 years ago. I’m still on that journey. It takes commitment and action to stay the course.
As Les Brown put it, “Wanting something isn’t enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.” Thank you Les.
To Your Financial Freedom,
Greg Whitaker
www.debtshepherd.com
© Greg Whitaker 2011, All rights reserved
I enjoyed reading this article.