Weirdforgood Hangout – 11 – I MISS MY DEBT!

Watch the video this week, to find out the TRUTH about missing my debt, and why motivation is sometimes low in my world. This discussion forum has really become a beacon for deep conversation on the web, I hope you agree, and will join us sometime soon! Have a wonderfully weirdforgood week!

I MISS BEING IN DEBT!! Yes, it’s kinda true! Debt was a huge motivator for me and now it’s gone… Darn You Dave Ramsey! Actually this discussion is more about Motivation and the human condition of coasting along instead of creating.

Dig Deep again with us this week, in one of the most enlightening and real conversations on the web, here at our weirdforgood world!

With Aaron Nichols & Michael Wright

You can read more about me, Aaron Nichols on http://www.weirdforgood.com

or Michael Wright’s website – http://www.fatherofone.com

Enjoy!

College Prep Chemistry at Ottawa High

Good Morning from a nice sunny January Day in Princeton!
Waaaaaay back in the 90’s when I attended Ottawa High School, in Ottawa, Kansas, There were a couple words that could strike fear in the heart of this slightly above average student: “Doc Cain!” Although I had no rational basis for being so scared of Mr. Cain and his College Prep Chemistry Class, I just plain was.
I took the course in my Junior Year and have many vivid memories. College Prep Chemistry was the most comprehensive and in-depth study that I had experienced in my 16 years. The kids in class were your typical over-achievers. We felt this was important stuff that was preparing us for the courses we’d take at University level in the years to come. We did experiments and bent little glass pipettes. We used crucibles and torches and took notes and were very serious about it all. The work load was tough, the subjects abstract.
Big projects required extra time in class. Somehow no matter how early you showed up, it seemed that Mr. Cain had already been there for hours. The classical music on NPR was a mind-bending contrast from the CD’s I was spinnin in my 84′ pickup truck.
We spent many hours after school as well. Small groups in the Cyclone Room would be head-down and scribbling pages and pages worth of equations, observations and solutions to complex problems. Usually we would work together and share ideas on how to complete the task at hand. Among these kids, we would usually find a suitable answer.
The most crushing moments came for me while working on a several page written document, and coming to a point where I could continue no more. The problem was not solved, and I was stuck! I would have had an hour or maybe many involved in this one equation. After asking the other smarties, and seeing their looks of confusion at what I had created, I knew there was only one thing to do… I had to go back into the class and ask Him for help… Mr. Cain was always glad to assist, but the pain of showing my stupidity to him on paper was an ego-killer!
I remember several of these moments, I always had the same experience. EVERY SINGLE time I went to him for help, I had two pages or more worth of words, numbers and symbols written by hand. I wanted help with the last two sentences or equations where I had become stuck. I proudly showed him all the work that went into this huge mess of lead on paper and asked him for just a little boost or fix for this little issue I had run into…
EVERY SINGLE TIME I had made my mistake Waaaaaay up at the beginning.  Every single time, he would look at the place on the page I was pointing, disregard that, and run his eyes hours back in time, up the sheet, to the place I started my screw-up. Aaaggghhhhh! NO!!
Humbled, Crushed and feeling stupid, I would sulk back to the booth by the windows and start all over…
You know what? When I would use his advice and do it right from the beginning, the problem would usually be Much faster, easier and more satisfying to complete than before. Even in starting over, the problem could get finished on time and turned in with a good grade.
In that world and in our financial world we are allowed to continue with our mistakes for awhile. We get to struggle along and think we’re getting somewhere. It may even look, at first glance, like we are. These denials of the truth and false-identities are what Debt gives to us. Our metaphorical chemistry assignment page of life can look like we’ve accomplished much. A nice big house, expensive college degree, newer cars and lots of trips to the city for Stuff we Need. This is what the average American’s written page looks like.
But, we are not living at a level of True Wealth. We have financial problems. Our money stresses do not stem from this month’s high utility bills. The issue is not our unexpected flat tire. It’s not Christmas’s fault or the cost of the kids’ traveling sports team.
Truth is, we’ve made a mistake waay back at the beginning. Our behavior pattern, our perception of money and wealth in general is Wrong. I guess I’ll be just as unpopular as Mr. Cain when I tell you that you’ve got to start over with your ideas about money in general. We’ve got to go back to square one and learn new things. That is, if you ever want to get unstuck from your finances and move on to the exciting and prosperous next level.
The shining silver lining here parallels my experience with a long chemistry equation back in 1996. When you start over and get it right from the beginning, the answer to the problem comes so much Faster, Easier and More Satisfying that you forget all about the years and years of doing it the wrong way. That moment of regret from being dumb, is blown away by the Fun and Thrilling stride after stride you’re taking when you know you’re on the right track.
Stay tuned to my blog, check out my website http://www.truenorthffc.com/ or go to http://www.daveramsey.com/ . The truth is out there and I’d like to introduce you to it. You deserve it! You work too hard to not be enjoying the level of peace, security and generosity that you have earned. Take it from me, a debt-free kid from Ottawa High, it is absolutely worth the ego-hit to start all over and get it right.
Thanks Mr. Cain, for the chemistry and more importantly: Life Lessons!
Sincerely,

 

 

Aaron Nichols

True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Got a leaky Wallet? Bulging budget or none at all? Delapidated Debt that you’re sick of living with?  You are losing hard earned dollars every month! Let me show you how to spackle the cracks and firm up your financial foundation. DIY or using my professional services, either way, the best time to fix your finances is Now!

Dog Tales

Welcome to the first Ready for Better blog post. I am glad to have you here!
If you’ve read my previous blog http://www.ashellandastone.blogspot.com/ this one will be very similiar in style. Let’s open up financial discussion and thoughts on life and money. I’ll bring insight, comedy and plenty of pictures… Now, on to Dog Tales!

Good Morning from the Rails-To-Trails Walk/Bike Path just north of Princeton, KS! This is a great place to spend time in the morning with my Two excited girls, Bella (left) & Roxy (right). You may have remembered Roxy from the roadtrip, as she’s been a blog-star before. Now she has a new sweet sister, Bella. This girl is really fitting in well around here and she has inspired the first story for Ready for Better….

These fall Kansas mornings are beautiful and as the bright golds, dusty browns and deep greens start to interplay, we know that summer is now behind us.

The morning walk is an exciting time for both dogs and me. Here we are starting to learn about the personality of these two girls, and really about how some of us choose live our lives. This also will relate to how we look at our finances. As you can see, the path is nicely pebbled and clear, although there is lots of nature around.

Roxy is a confident and intentional girl. As soon as we reach the path, immediately she crashes through the brush and weeds along the trail, pads down into the shade and moves fluidly among the woods and bushes. One can only imagine the jackpot of doggy surprises down there. Tons of smells, obstacles and visual stimuli. Logs to bound over, branches to slide under, things to stop to sniff and sometimes critters to chase! She’s living her dreams without worry, just like Debt-Freedom!

However her opposite, Bella, is up on the pea gravel with me. She’s having fun and is excited as well. Many times, she finds herself alone.

Interestingly, her comfort in the main trail seems strained. It’s like she knows there is more out there, but is afraid to try.

Sometimes she pokes her nose off the edge of the trail, tries to push into the weeds and usually backs off. There is always a stubborn sapling, or stiff stick right in her way. Most of the time it’s just a dead grass blade that stops her in her tracks. There are no mowed openings down into the woods…

What does this teach us about ourselves? How often do we consider a change or to try something new, only to have the “why nots” immediately smacking us in the face.

In the world of personal finance, we find that most of us Americans are sticking to the main path. Let’s play it safe and stay on what has been laid down as the “Normal” way to go. Consumer-debt and the highly-effective marketing of credit is the man-made pea gravel path. And unfortunately, this “Normal” way, is pay-check to pay-check, really meaning broke. God created so much more life for us to enjoy than this.

Although it may be tough at first to break away, our friend Roxy knows the joys that make it worth the effort. Getting on a budget, building power over purchase, and breaking habits of always needing a car loan to buy a car, these are the uncomfortable twigs that shouldn’t have the power to stop us from reaching our dreams that we deserve.

So when we’re debt-free, when we’ve taken on challenges, and maybe had to feel a little sticker bush scratch to get there, we understand the truth. There is a much richer path already waiting for us in the shade of the trees. A creek-bed travels parallel to the Rail-Trail. Down there we have water for refreshment, and it is loosely vegetated with plenty of running room. Will we be brave enough to find this out first hand?

 

Good news for us and for Bella. Little by little we see progress. We get bolder and stronger. We get tired of the same ‘ol same ‘ol. This morning I saw her stepping further into the grass and even beyond the first clumps of brush, she was following Rox… It won’t be long and she’ll be going whole-hog straight into doggy-heaven-on-earth!

I personally know and feel the freedom that the journey out of debt can bring. Life after debt is possible and absolutely rewarding. There is a better way than Normal… When you’re Ready for Better, give me a call, I’ll be thrilled to show you the way!

Sincerely,

 

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
785-218-6134