Category: starting

At a recent board meeting, we were discussing the merits of paying off the organization’s office building mortgage and using the payment money to obtain a higher interest rate in another way.  

The conversation did not go very far, because one member made the point that it was a dangerous policy.  He felt it would be too easy to “get used to” having this extra money so when we needed to make payments again in the future it would be difficult to find such a sum in the new budgets.  

He was right.

It is so easy to “get used to” things.  Spending money is one example; once we start making car payments, a mortgage payment or paying our smart phone bill it becomes part of the routine and just “is.”  

The same is true with saving.  Once you “get used to” a routine deduction for retirement or investments, your monthly paycheck levels out and it doesn’t seem like an expense for long.  People rarely notice their raise past the first few checks; you get used to that “extra” money and it quickly becomes the norm.

If we can adjust and become accustomed to something with little pain past the initial change, think of how you can use that to your advantage.  Can you get used to getting up earlier so you can accomplish a goal?  Or become used to walking a little further each day to make 12,000 steps your norm instead of 10K?  What about using a little less salt on your food or less sugar in your coffee?

Take a pledge to become used to something new starting today.

The hardest part of my day is getting out of bed.  A friend of mine says that the hardest part for him is putting his boots on.  It’s the same idea: once you are ready to go, the “going” doesn’t seem so bad, but it is hard to motivate yourself to get to that point.

What can you do to make getting started easier on yourself?

> Throw the covers off you as soon as the alarm goes off so you’re not tempted to roll over and snuggle in them?

> Have your notes and supplies set out and write a few thoughts in advance so you’re not starting your proposal by staring at a blank page? or plan out the list of blog topics for the week instead of sitting down and scratching your head about what to write about?!

> Have your shoes and exercise clothes with you so you can change in the office and not be tempted to skip your work out and head home?

My screen saver says (and I have written about before): “the hardest part is getting started.”  Find ways to merge onto the ramp instead of tackling the task from a dead stop.