One of the comments people often say when trying to figure out why they might be underperforming in the area of personal finance is, “I wish I had more discipline.” The funny part about this statement is that people already have discipline, but it usually has never been focused on money. How many ways can you think of in which discipline is displayed in your life on a weekly, if not daily, basis? Here are a few clues:
Going to work when you don’t feel like it
Keeping your barber, hair and nail appointments
Deciding what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Making an effort to work out
Locking your car and house doors
Closing your garage door
Helping your children with their homework
Driving your children to and from school
Recently, Al proved to himself that he could be disciplined with something besides money. He went to Red Lobster for lunch and the waitress placed this in front of him:
During his past visits to Red Lobster, Al would have eaten all five biscuits and asked for more. In a previous newsletter, Al mentioned how he was able to get his cholesterol down to 183 from 221. Notice the one biscuit that is sliced in half. That is all he had.
When his meal came, he couldn’t take his eyes off the remaining 4.5 biscuits. Every time Al thought about giving in, he said to himself, “I have the power. These biscuits can’t control me!” One of the most difficult things a person can do is come face to face with one of their greatest temptations and not give in. That requires discipline. Al has it with money and now he has proven to himself that he has discipline with food. What one financial behavior can you modify during December to prove to yourself that you can control your behaviors with money? Remember, every journey begins with the first step and today could be your day.
If you need some inspiration, here’s a 30-second video featuring 7-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams and her thoughts on discipline:
https://www.tiktok.com/@elenacardoneofficial/video/7264910022222564650
