I’m certain that not just I have had challenges in managing personal finances in the past. We all have had to grow through our younger years. Early on we are launched into a world with virtually no training on how to strategically manage our money, not to mention how to even use a checkbook when we graduate high school.
So how do we learn then? Through experiences and making mistakes.
Now I only wish that younger Jeff would have had better training on how to manage his bills. Yes, I got myself into money challenges at an early age. I’ll never forget having to go to the bank to take out a loan so that I could consolidate my car and credit card debt. It was embarrassing to say the least. BUT, here’s the point. Had I not gone through this experience, I would not have known how to create a budget to follow until my debts were paid in full.
Sounds so simple right? Well if you don’t know any better, then how are you going to learn? I learned a real lesson from this experience. This took valuable time that I can never get back.
That’s just one of many mistakes I’ve made over the years. I used to have to learn things the hard way. I’m getting better at it. Realizing that maybe, just maybe I should do a little research before I take action on something now.
A few years back, before I had created my now successful marketing agency, I had to learn another lesson. At the time, I was a freelance graphic designer. I was doing my best to build my book of business so I could provide for my family. After a few years of building I hit a plateau and the growth of my company slowed tremendously. Why was this happening, I asked myself.
I realized that not only did it slow, but I didn’t build much reserves to survive on had I ever reached this point. Things got tight. I had no strategy to handle my finances and soon realized I was in a deep dark valley.
Eventually, with much effort, I got my way out of the situation I had put myself in. I grew tremendously, much further than I had before. This circumstance that I got myself into was exactly what I needed to grow to the next level. A few years past, I now had a business partner and grew an agency from nothing to well over seven figures.
I’m convinced that I never could have done so if I hadn’t hit a low point first. I needed that push.
This is when I realized that you have to walk through the valley FIRST to get to your NEXT peak.
Without this experience, you most likely don’t know what to plan for or how to do so in the future.
I’m sure there are many other people like this in the world. Some of them are actively looking for help. Others are silent because they are scared and don’t know where to start.
You are not alone. As a matter of fact you are amongst many. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help, because you too can hike yourself out of that valley and look back at how far you have come.
Hopefully, you will take that experience as I have and make efforts to help others in need. To help others avoid mistakes so they don’t lose valuable time.
It’s inevitable though, we will all hit valleys at some point. The trick is to avoid them as much as possible and get to higher grounds faster.