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Once you know how money works, you'll know which levers to pull.
Something I learned a lifetime ago in athletics and athletic training: When you want to see results, you have to stick to the plan.
90% effort in preparation produces about 20% the result as 100% effort does. And that 10% difference in effort? That’s the difference between consistency and inconsistency, which means everything,
Another thing I learned was that 90% effort over the course of a game created a losing result nearly 90% of the time.
But 90% is passing, so you might say, “Chu, wouldn’t that be enough to win?”
No.
And while the numbers aren't nearly as drastic in financial habits, the principle still applies.
Making a plan is one thing, but following it through only part of the time can have some dire consequences.
If you want to get better at something you have to be consistent.
In training, there is something called the adaptation period. Almost always during the adaptation period, the person, who is moving from one state of being to another, will see gains, or results.
The same holds true for financial planning. If you stick to the plan through the adaptation period, you’ll see gains. But after the adaptation period, one of two things happen.
One, as you settle into a routine, with the habits you now automate, fueled by the conviction you acquired during your adaptation period, you keep up that same level of activity 100% of the time. It gets easier, but it doesn’t morph into doing less. Your capacity for stress increases, and your reliance on the plan lends a dependability that makes the stressful situations, or obstacles in your path, easier to overcome.
Either that, or you join the percentage of people who think they are the exception and can put in less effort--or almost enough effort--and see the same results they were seeing when they were putting in 100% of the effort. They can’t.
And suddenly, the plan won’t even meet the minimum parameters of what you were hoping to achieve, and you give up altogether.
But with the help of a financial coach at your side, just like having a personal trainer, it is easier to hold yourself accountable for continuing to put in 100% of the effort.
So I’m going to invite you to reach out to me and either join one of our free workshops that outline both the risks and some solution concepts you can discuss with a qualified advisor, or I can send you out a free copy of “How Money Works: Stop Being a Sucker” at no cost to you… not even shipping.
Once you know how money works, then, you can know all the levers you should be pulling to achieve your financial goals AND mitigate the risks you might not even know about yet.
Kelechukwu “Chu” Oparah is a Licensed Financial Professional Serving your Dayton Community. For more content, Chu is on Instagram @chuoparah.