Financial Checkup – Influence
October 29, 2006
Principle 3 - Influence
What is the number one determinate of someone’s attitude towards their health? The family and environment they were raised in. Think about some of the common bad habits that people pick up from their family such as smoking, unhealthy eating, or lack of exercise.
The influence of our environment also determines our financial health. Do you talk about money with your family and friends? If so, is the conversation a learning experience or is it usually an argument or complaint session? If we want to improve our finances, we have to surround ourselves with positive financial influences that will help us learn the ins and outs of our money.
Principle Applied
So how do we apply this principle? Start by looking forward. Don’t worry if you haven’t had great financial influences in the past. Start surrounding yourself with them today!
However you learn best, that’s where you should begin. If you’re a visual person, read finance magazines (Smart Money, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance), or blogs (PFBlog, Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, All Things Financial). If you’re an audio learner, listen on the radio or to an audio book (Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman). If you need human interaction, find a friend or relative. If you don’t know anyone you’d trust financial advice from, join an investment club (Better Investing) in your area, and ask lots of questions!
Read about the next principle of Finding a Mentor.
[…] The goal is reachable. What will keep you motivated once it is reached? The vision has a much larger scope and may even seem unattainable. However, this challenge, this dream, will keep you striving towards success. It will motivate you to change your Behavior to achieve your vision. Stay tuned for the next principle, Financial Checkup – Influence. […]
[…] Financial Checkup - Teamwork Financial Checkup Recap The Financial Checkup series looks at how to improve our financial health. So far we’ve talked about our financial Behavior and how to Motivate ourselves to change it. Surrounding ourselves with good Influences will help us learn from them and pick up their financially healthy habits. One way to find an influence that will jumpstart our financial habits is Finding a Mentor. […]
[…] The Debt Consolidation blog has an article titled The Debt Mindset that discusses how the influences around us contribute to the way we see and think about debt. I’m 100% in agreement on this one, as I talked about here. […]
[…] The goal is reachable. What will keep you motivated once it is reached? The vision has a much larger scope and may even seem unattainable. However, this challenge, this dream, will keep you striving towards success. It will motivate you to change your Behavior to achieve your vision. Stay tuned for the next principle, Financial Checkup – Influence. […]