To Get Better at Something, Ask Yourself These Two Questions
Anyone can get better and improve at anything, including personal finance, with the right mindset and deliberate action. That includes getting better at saving by paying yourself first, investing for the long-term and accumulating wealth.
But in order to get better, individuals need to honestly answer “yes” to two very basic questions. Those two questions are:
- Do you want to do or get better?
- Are you willing to feel the discomfort of putting in more effort and trying new things that will feel weird and different and won’t work right away? To fail?
If the answer is “no” to either question, then it would be foolish for an individual to believe they can improve and get better by doing things the way they’ve always done it or thinking the same way they’ve always thought. Additionally, it would prove a waste of time and effort for any coach to undertake a client or player to improve their skills who do not answer yes to both questions.
Essentially, getting better, especially at saving and investing, is about wanting to get better by embracing a positive mindset and is about having a willingness to experience discomfort. It is important to know that you can become better at anything if your willing to do what is necessary.
But you will not get better if 1) you don’t believe you can and 2) you aren’t willing to accept the discomfort of doing things differently and do whatever it takes to get better.
Learning anything new means moments of feeling uncomfortable. You will need to act in ways that are unfamiliar and take risks that are new. Try things that, in many cases, will be initially frustrating because they won’t work the first time.
You are guaranteed to feel awkward and possibly experience failure for the first time. You will make mistakes. You may be embarrassed or even feel shame, especially if you are accustomed to succeeding.
The key take-away is that answering these two questions yes are a prerequisite to growth and achieving financial success.