A few years ago I decided to get back into running by signing up for the Catalina trail half-marathon. This course is hilly and demanding. Probably not the best choice for someone re-entering the world of running, but I was excited! And stubborn. I enjoy a good challenge, but sometimes I don’t think through all the steps I need to take to adequately prepare for these challenges. Yet I do them anyway … sigh.
Training had been going ok until it was time for a 9-miler. That day, the long run didn’t happen because my hip, hamstring and knee on my right side were killing me. Instead, I scheduled an appointment with my massage therapist and decided to do some yoga to get some serious deep stretching in before going to see her (she reminded me often that I didn’t stretch enough).
As I settled into a deep runner’s lunge and practiced my breathing, I realized where I’d gone wrong (and what my massage therapist already knew and had been telling me for months). In pursuit of a goal I was laser-focused on (running a trail half-marathon after taking a few years off from running), I forgot to practice the basic habits all seasoned runners adhere to: I quit stretching. I ignored the standard rule of thumb to increase my weekly mileage slowly; I stopped listening to my body when it would groan at night as I got into bed and in the morning when I woke up. What I did instead was avoid dealing with the root of the pain by taking more meds, grumbling about getting old, and continuing to run (or, limp truthfully) telling myself the pain was just making me stronger.
On some level I had decided that the fundamental principles of running didn’t apply to me. And I was starting to feel the negative impact of those choices.
This experience reminded me of how important getting back to basics is in so many areas of our life – to include the journey towards financial independence. The basics of the financial independence movement include creating and sticking to a monthly spending plan … every month, no matter how simple or detailed you decide to make it. Having a felt sense of your cash flow really does matter when you have a big goal like financial independence. It means not using credit to finance purchases when cash inflow isn’t enough to cover paying the bill off at the end of the month. It can also mean learning not to check your investment account so frequently that you begin to react to changes to the market in a way that’s not helpful to your long-term goals. But ultimately, the basics of any financial independence journey means remaining mindful and intentional in pursuit of what you value most, even on the days when it doesn’t feel great.
For me, stretching has never been fun. I always “forget” to stretch, and I have since my days on the high-school cross country team. My 17-year old self didn’t have the perspective then that I (sometimes) have now – it pays to stay disciplined in the small habits, day in and day out, to care for your future self. Take budgeting for example – it isn’t always fun either, at least not in the beginning when you’re trying to shape a new habit. And it’s why I believe people don’t do it. Instead they choose the sexier aspect of money – spending it! Or maxing out investments at the expense of being able to cover daily expenses (yes, this is a thing I see more than you might realize). Sometimes, we choose to avoid our goal of starting down the path to financial independence because it causes too much pain. I’ve been there. Either way the fundamental key to designing your version of FI is being pushed aside and you end up suffering as a consequence.
So, as we wrap up the month of February and get ready to start afresh in March, get back to basics! I know the fun stuff is way more attention grabbing! I also recognize facing money can be painful for some. Here’s my challenge to you: think of something in your life (like my running example above) that is meaningful to you, where you clearly see and understand the benefits of the discipline of habits. Then, apply that to your thoughts and feelings around finding your FI. Can you see the parallels? Is there one thing you can do differently TODAY to get back to the basics of managing your FI journey wisely? And if you need a little help, reach out! That’s what the process of financial planning can help with.
As for me … after that wake up call training for a race, I made a commitment to myself to get back to the basics of running, and fitness in general. It took a while to heal up and recover, and to return to the level of fitness that was realistic for my stage of life. I completed the race, even though I was slower than I’d hoped. But, still, I did it and enjoyed the amazing scenery of Catalina Island along the way, along with a great sense of accomplishment when I crossed the finish line.
Running continues to look different for me as time goes on, and the goal for each race is different. Sometimes the goal is to finish, or to enjoy the experience of running the same race with my daughter (even if she finishes way ahead of me these days!). Whatever the goal is, it is ok for me. It is ok because I intentionally designed my goal with an eye towards playing the long game. The hard work of sticking to the fundamentals makes the experience now much more pleasant, and I believe will make the experience of my future self more pleasant, too.
