Financial Self-Control. Discipline Over Desire
When it comes to finances, there are things that matter - like financial literacy, intelligence, working smart, talent, skills, etc. All these can help one to acquire wealth, but when it comes to sustaining it, then one very important factor is heavily needed and that is discipline. What you want is insatiable and if you start to go for it, you may end up wrecking your finance. If you spend on what you want without first focusing on what you need at the moment, you may put yourself in trouble. It is unwise to sacrifice your long-term goals for your temporary desires. It is the financial choice that you make today that will determine a major part of the outcome of your life tomorrow.
Each day that you wake up and throughout the day, you will be bombarded by various choices: like buying a new designer shirt or saving for an investment, spend on going for a luxury vacation or starting up a business, etc. The truth is that without financial discipline, your desires will always win, and it may have negative consequences on your life. It is your discipline that positions you for growth, freedom, and peace of mind.
That something is right and that you think you want it does not make it right for you. If your capacity at the moment cannot support it, then you do not have to break your pocket to afford it. However, it is worthy to note that being financial disciplined does not mean that you should deny yourself of the joy of the moment, rather it means that you should not sacrifice your future for fleeting moments of temporary pleasures. Your desires may be screaming for your attention, but your discipline will always whisper the deep truths to you - like "think about your future," "your goals are more important than the pleasures of the moment."
When I was in school, during one of our vacations, I decided to engage in a vacation job with some of my friends instead of just being idle or travelling to the village. At the end of the job, which lasted almost 2 months, we were paid. When the payment came, some used their own to buy things, others saved their own own. When school resumed, there was this particular payment we were to make, so those of us that saved our own used part of the money to make the payment. The others that spent lavishly started looking for how to raise the money. The choices we make, especially as they relate to finances, will determine what happens to us and how our tomorrow will be.
Financial discipline grows the same way muscles grow. If you start to exercise yourself and lift weights, it may look very difficult, but over time, you will begin to grow muscles. In the same way, when you resisting the urge to buy what you do not need, it may seem difficult at the moment, but as time goes on, you will discover that you have trained yourself to master self-control. When you build a habit of financial discipline, it will save you from stress, guarantee financial freedom, and help you to live a happier life.
One of the ways to enhance your financial discipline is to set goals. When you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, like funding a business, opening another branch, investing, etc, it will give you the motivation to avoid unnecessary and wasteful spending. You will see every money you earn as a step towards fulfilling your dreams. In addition to setting goals, you have to learn the art of saving. No matter how much you make, if you do not learn the practice of saving, you might waste all of them lavishly. You should only start to spend after you have set some parts of your earnings aside for saving.
It is worthy to note that your desires cannot be exhausted. There will always be what to buy, the new designer clothes that catch your fancy, a new trend in town. But through discipline, you will be able to prioritise your needs, and then break out from the urge to satisfy the momentary desires at the expense of your tomorrow. I am not saying that it is bad to buy things or to enjoy life, but it should be within your means.
Thanks for reading
