Some people get knocked down by a financial hit and never get off the mat. Others get up time and again, stubbornly refusing to be counted out even when it seems to everyone else they are through. Over the years I’ve counseled many individuals and families with money issues and observed a wide range of reactions to financial crisis. Here are three things winners do that make the difference:
They take ownership
Sometimes a financial disaster strikes that may be completely beyond your control. Other times you will have to admit, if you are honest, that you exhibited some negligence or otherwise had some part in allowing it to happen. Either way, you have a responsibility to take the bull by the horns and begin the recovery. Some people dwell on excuse-mongering and perfecting a storyline—to be repeated ad nauseam to everyone within earshot—about the injustices life has foisted upon them. Winners start looking for solutions before the dust has even settled.
They take action—even when it seems hopeless
Suppose you have a $10,000 debt and no means to pay it off. You might be tempted to avoid the issue by doing nothing constructive—it feels impossible, after all—other than to pray aimlessly or buy a lottery ticket. A winner will find a way to earn something to tackle the debt. Maybe it’s only $10 the first week, but he or she will have made a move, however imperceptible, toward paying off that debt. The lottery player has, statistically, a virtual 100% chance of failure, and those odds will be exactly the same next week and the week after. But the person who acts with intention will change the equation, slowly but surely. Momentum will gather, God will bless the effort and unforeseen opportunities and resources will inevitably materialize. “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap,” says Ecclesiastes 11:4. Do something to move the needle!
They seek help and accountability
“Without counsel plans fail,” says Proverbs 15:22, “but with many advisors they succeed.” Winners understand and earnestly believe that financial failures are not permanent. And they also know that virtually every prosperous person has been through the wringer—usually many times—before they reached the pinnacle of success. Losers will forge ahead blindly, unwittingly repeating the same mistakes others have made. Seek guidance and embrace accountability from those who have traveled a similar path, knowing you can learn from—and avoid—the blunders others have made.
Financial setbacks can derail your marriage, your health, or your emotions. But only if you allow it to happen. What one thing will you do today to get back on your feet?
