We make financial choices each and every day that impact our personal finances in one-way or another. Many of these individual financial choices are small and seem inconsequential at the time. However, over time they may have a significant impact on our personal finances. In addition, we also make other financial choices that are larger and have a far greater impact on our personal finances.
Therefore, the question that each of us should be asking ourselves is “Are we making the best financial choices possible each and everyday?” Why, because the condition of our personal finances in many ways is a reflection of the financial choices we have made in our lives to date. If we want to take control of our personal finances, we need to work on making better financial choices.
The first step to making better financial choices is to understand that we have the power of choice in our lives. The power of choice comes into our lives at the moment we make a decision. It is in the blink of an eye when we make a decision that determines if our choice will empower us to make better choices or become disempowered by another bad choice. It is easier to make the bad choice because it takes less effort. It is also easier to justify in our minds. Unfortunately, these choices rob us of our power to take control of our lives.
Here is a great example to help illustrate this point. You set a goal in your life to get in shape. You commit to going to the gym 3 days a week to work out. You set your alarm to wake up early to get to the gym before work. The next morning the alarm sounds. You wake up. The power of choice comes when you either decide to honor your goal, get up, head to the gym and workout or you turn off the alarm and go back to sleep.
The power of choice is yours. The real question is what choice will you make in your financial life? You get to decide. One choice provides power, certainty, motivation and momentum to make better choices in your life every day. The other choice is to settle for a life of mediocrity, giving up on your goals and settling for less.
Mediocrity does not have to be our reality. We need to take control of our own personal finances, we are responsible for them. We need to understand and accept that our choices have consequences. Ultimately, we are responsible for the outcome of our lives.
Therefore, the most important question we must ask ourselves is “when will we step up and take control of our personal finances?” The answer cannot be someday. Someday is a day that never comes until it is too late to do anything to change the course of our lives. Someday robs us of today. Someday is a convenient way for us to settle for less in our lives and let go of our dreams. We tell others and ourselves that someday we will make it happen. Someday we will take action to achieve our hopes, goals and dreams for our lives. We use this convenient excuse because it allows us to rationalize settling for less today. It allows us to believe that the timing is not right in our lives and that “someday” the timing will be better. Someday we will have more money, more time and more resources. The truth is there will never be a perfect time in the future.
Therefore, the only answer is ”Today.” Today is the day you must be willing to step up and start taking control of your personal finances. Today is the day you start making better financial choices. Today is the day you change your life and finances forever. The power of choice is yours. You get to decide. You can do it!
Here are some additional resources:
How To Create and Achieve Your Financial Goals
Free 30 Day Financial Makeover
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