Thirty days into the New Year, you can already see the parking lots at the health clubs thinning out. It happens every year: we are resolute and committed that THIS year is the year we are going to lose weight, be nicer, eat better, read more or get our financial lives in order. According to University of Scranton psychologist Jon Norcross, nearly a third of those that made resolutions have quit at the end of January, and more than 55% fall off the wagon by the end of June.
All these resolutions center around changing our behaviors. Some of these are learned, some innate, but we recognize that they cause stress, create potential health problems and can cause emotional discord with our family and friends. We recognize that we need to change, but lack the discipline to make that happen. There are fad diets promoted on social media, self-help books and financial organization apps for our iPad that promise to help you reach your goals. The marketing pitches used by these companies and salespeople are masterfully worded to capture our emotions to make a purchase.
Yet, making a goal and staying focused to reach that goal are two totally different things. We are all a month older and 30 days closer to major life events. Whether saving for college or retirement, those strategies require not only a plan, but behavioral discipline to meet those goals. If you haven’t made a budget, developed a debt reduction plan, or saved for your child’s tuition, why is this year going to be different than the last?
Our practice specializes in recognizing, understanding and changing people’s behavior when it comes to their finances. Keeping resolutions requires lifestyle change and a complete modification of your emotional and financial behavior. Our role as counselor is to help you maintain focus during times when you’re tempted to revert back to the way you used to do things.
Thomas Edison said, “Vision without execution is hallucination.” Make this year THE year that you stop dreaming about your financial future and take control of it.
