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Adam Baker of manvsdebt.com inspires us to ask a simple, life changing question: What does freedom mean to you?
Once you’ve answered that question, Adam encourages you to sell your crap, pay off your debt, do what you love!
Give us a call on our voicemail feedback hotline at 615-200-7189 or drop Greg an email at greg@debtshepherd.com
by GREG WHITAKER on July 7th, 2012
Living in the past. It’s something most of us do whether we know it or not. It keeps us from enjoying the present moment. Surely you’ve heard, “It’s called the present because it’s a gift.”
My uncle Steve said something many years ago I’ve never forgotten. We were talking about reading books and how important reading is to continue to grow. He said, “I don’t want to know what you’ve already read. I want to know what you’re reading right now.” Seemingly subtle difference with huge implications.
So if I’m living in the past, afraid of the future, and unhappy with the present then where the heck am I? Nowhere is where I’m at. Personally I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of but I’m certainly not ashamed of them either. That collective experience is the flavor of my personality. I wouldn’t trade that flavor for anything.
Back to nowhere. Nowhere is now-here, right? Mike Myers said it in his crazy portrayal of Pitka in The Love Guru. Those self help cliches sound corny, but this particular one is no laughing matter. You are literally Now, Here. There’s no other place or time you can possibly be. Now is the only moment there is. Here is the only place that exists. Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now illustrates this better than most. It’s a little heady, but if you listen to it with your heart it’ll ring through.
Les Brown, possibly the highest paid motivational speaker on the planet, reminds us “Used to bees don’t make no honey!” Stop living on your past accomplishments talking about who you used to be. Stop worshipping others for their past success. Our Hollywood hero worship is a glaring example. The old saying in Tiseltown is, “You’re only as good as your last film.” What a dark cloud to live under, if you so choose.
What you did isn’t who you are. This includes the debt you incurred in the past. What you aspire to do isn’t who you are. Thinking about getting out of debt isn’t enough. What you are doing in this moment defines you. Take action right now toward financial freedom. Don’t just ask, “How am I doing?” Also ask, “How am I being?”
To Your Intellectual Freedom,
Greg Whitaker
Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved
If you could develop your personal finances in any area whatsoever, what area would you pick?
The most common answer I get is “Greg, if I could just make more money.” I’ve been there, no doubt about it. I was working 40 + hrs. a week, grossing $80k a year (two income household), and couldn’t seem to save a measly $500! I knew there had to be a better way.
My wife and I had $17k in credit card debt, two car payments, and a mortgage. The one area of my personal finances I was convinced needed developing was the size of my paycheck. In retrospect, I realize how backwards my thinking really was.
I met a wise teacher who said “Making money isn’t the problem. It’s what you do with the money you’re already making (that’s the problem).” It’s like the front yard was on fire and I thought I needed more gasoline. Doesn’t make sense does it?
You think you have a math problem. If you could just ADD more money to the equation. I’m proposing, from personal experience, it’s likely you have a thinking problem. To begin changing a thinking problem (around money) we have to learn to SUBTRACT a few things from the equation.
This brings up immediate thoughts of lack, deprivation, and eating bologna and crackers for the rest of our lives. When I started getting out of debt quickly some of my friends were curious how I was doing it. I literally had an old friend say “Greg, what are you living on soup & crackers?”
The answer was, of course, no. I just listened to what my teacher told me and started paying attention to what I was doing with the money I was already making. I started making better use of my dollars. Not so complicated is it? The first year my wife and I paid off $17k in credit cards and my $6k truck note. So we went from can’t seem to put $500 in the bank to paying off $23k in debt in just 12 months! What changed?
We subtracted a few things from our thinking instead of adding more money to our wallets. The problem wasn’t on the outside, it was on the inside. Within a few months I knew I had to teach other people how to do the same thing I learned to do.
There is no magic pill with money. It takes time, discipline, and a commitment to change. And it’s not as hard as you think to get started.
Debt Shepherd teaches you how to begin your journey to financial wellness. No judgment, no criticism here. Just good folks helping good folks. Are you ready?
To Your Financial Freedom,
Greg Whitaker
www.debtshepherd.com
Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved
