Issue XI | Pick Your Hard

We can go about this whole personal finance thing in two different ways: either with a positive or a negative mindset. I think that the way we decide to go about it will make all the difference in the world.

Let’s start with the negative mindset: I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place; there’s not a good or easy way out of this; this is going to hurt either way, so who cares?

The positive mindset sounds more like this: I have the opportunity and choice to take care of myself now, while I’m young; time is on my side so getting started now will make life easier later; I am in control of my future from the present.

Life isn’t tailor-made for anyone. Even for those who were fortunate enough to be born into great life circumstances will face challenges. Everyone is going to have to deal with something.

If you do this right, you can choose what you have to deal with. You get to “pick your hard.”

When it comes to money, there is a never ending trade-off between the present and the future. While taking care of your money in the present makes the future that much sweeter, there is an inevitable cost: your present may not be as sweet as you dream it to be.

I don’t say that to put a damper on anyone’s day. I say it to wake even one person up who takes the time to read this. I can almost promise you that if you don’t “pick your hard” today, time will pick it for you later.

That’s the best part though—you get to make the first move! The ability to “pick your hard” today, and pick it with a positive mindset, is what makes the difference. 

We are doomed to struggle, but what we are struggling for is what we get to decide.

Here’s what I recommend to get moving in the right direction: get curious, then get answers. Maybe you have questions like: How do I pay off debt? How much do I need for an emergency fund? What is a Roth IRA? 

Whatever your questions are, there are people and resources at your fingertips (me included!).

This isn’t going to be easy. The way we interact with money is emotional and habitual. But at the end of it all, you have the opportunity to “pick your hard.” Don’t let the world pick that for you.