Sow What..?

Often the first parts of planting seeds, be it for a small indoor herb or a large outdoor garden, are the most exciting. That first period (prepping the soil, considering lighting, having a fertilizer and watering plan) is filled with action and planning - things that get those “feel good” hormones firing.

After that first part, though, comes the waiting part. There’s certainly still action (watering, lighting adjustments, continued weeding if outside), but it’s completely unclear as to what is happening beneath the surface.

What is the seed doing? Is it getting enough water? Is it getting too much water? Is the soil rich enough to allow it to sprout?

There’s no telling, at least for a bit, until you see that first break in the soil. Until then, it’s all hope and actions that are supposed to lead to a sprouting seed.

I find this all to be analogous to what happens when someone starts paying attention to their finances, and starts taking serious how to best handle their own money.

The process starts, generally, on the basic personal finance side:

• Understanding your cash flow (income vs. expenses)

• Reducing debt (especially the bad kind, like credit cards)

• Establishing an emergency cash reserve in a bank account

It then leads to higher levels over time:

• Investing excess cash to grow while not in use (stocks, bonds, CDs)

• Paying to advance personal skills, potentiating further income growth

• Diversifying investments into areas such as real estate

Between those first three and the second three bullets, there’s a lot of time, a lot of energy spent and a lot of hope that you are indeed growing.

A wise friend has often reminded me that action creates traction, and that rings very true on the money side of life. Without taking action, it’s simply hope that your income will grow, that the stock market will feel easier to invest in when you have more money than you have now, that the debt will eventually be gone… Hope isn’t action. By finding ways to take one step forward every day that you can, your action will create opportunities for tomorrow to look much brighter than yesterday.

Sow the seed. Tend the soil. Water.

It will sprout.

Thanks for reading my first newsletter! My goal is to have a way to regularly reach my clients and my followers that are interested in all things money in simple, concise, and sharable way. I also use Instagram (@wealthcoached) to share information, concepts and ideas around money that might help you grow a little more (see below for link).