Now that the Olympics are over, many people have been inspired to try harder, to live their dreams and to focus on their futures. These same feelings and motivation can be carried over to your financial life as well. There is no better time than right now to get your personal finances in order, and sometimes, looking at them in a different light can be very beneficial.

While you may not be able to win a gold medal for the best balanced checkbook, by looking at financial security as a race to glory, you may be able to reshape your financial outlook. In fact, you can even get some inspiration for developing a financial plan right from some of these Olympic events.

The key is figuring out whether you want to go for the gold, or whether you are happy to settle for silver, bronze, or even not placing at all. By developing a winning mindset, you can greatly impact your financial future. Sometimes, all it takes is looking at your personal finances a bit differently to get a better outcome. Let’s start with determining what “going for the gold” means to you.

1. Financial stability – For most people, going for the gold means being able to retire comfortably and not worry about money. In many cases, it will take an athletic-style push to get there, but with perseverance, the right training and a good effort, it can be achieved. When you look at financial stability as an event that you need to win, it may be easier to reach your long term goals.

2. The ability to buy whatever you want - For others, going for the gold may mean the ability to purchase anything their heart desires, without having to worry about it. If you are not already to that point, it will take a lot of hard work and financial effort to get there. If this is your goal however, you need to start training to make it. Decide how you will reach this point, whether it is through leveraging debt for a bigger return, or finally starting that side business you’ve always dreamt about, or any other means.

Whatever going for the gold means to you, write it down and begin to formulate how you plan to reach that goal. This will be your training program. Learn all that you can about personal finance, and take the time to be cognizant of your spending, how you budget and what paths you will be taking to get to your gold “medal.”

Just like the Olympics, going for gold financially may not be simple, but it is incredibly worthwhile. Even if you don’t have the world cheering you on, you can still reap the benefits that focusing on your finances can have for your entire future. If you want to be able to achieve those goals, it may mean going for the gold – even if that does require hard work and extra effort.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-10-16 05:37:49. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Related Posts

• Do You Have to be Thrifty? As the economy continues its upheaval, the word thrifty seems to be on many people's minds. Is it absolutely necessary to be thrifty in times of economic uncertainty? There are many schools of thought on the subject, and while at first glance, it may seem like the only economical choice,......
• Review: The Teen's Guide to Personal Finance: Basic concepts in personal finance that every teen should know. Time is a resource that many teenagers don't realize is their greatest resource for finacial independence. "The Teen's Guide to Personal Finance" is a tome that will provide teenagers with important financial lessons, in a manner which will pull their interest and convey itself effectively in its intended task. The......
• Review: Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes and How to Correct Them By Gary Belsky and Tom Gilovich This fascinating book by a popular financial journalist and a college professor may not be the newest book on the shelf, and it may not have the most hype, but by far, it is one of the most interesting personal finance books we have ever read. This book goes where......
• Money Management During Tough Financial Times Personal money management can absolutely be a challenge, especially when you are tight on cash. Payday never seems to come in time, and your pockets probably feel empty long before the bills have all being paid up. Here are some basic but essential tips for money management that can help......
• How to Keep Your Money Safe As some of the biggest and most respected banks in the world look as though they may be crumbling, consumers are wondering in greater numbers just how safe their finances are. In times of economic uncertainty, there are no real guarantees, but there are a few things that you can......

Related Websites

• COBRA premium reduction I'm going to divert from my usual ramblings and talk about the staggering (to me, at least) implications of the COBRA premium reduction. First of all, what is COBRA?  From Wikipedia:  "The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985... is a law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed......
• A Lifetime of Lessons: More Than 50 Years of Expert Instruction to Help You Play Your Best Golf Now By Marshall Smith with David Denunzio Marshall Smith is one of the most recognizable names in golf instruction, and if you’ve ever wished you could get a lesson with him, this book has the whole experience down to a tee. You’ll feel just like you’re right with Smith, learning and growing as a golfer. If you......
• Money Genie: I Grant You 3 Financial Do-Overs Today is your lucky day! The personal finance genie has graced this site with his presence. What's he doing here? Well, he has come to grant you 3 financial do-overs. photo by: tony newell What Would You Change Financially If You Had the Chance? The genie wants to know what......
• Network Now Has 30 Members It has been 12 days since I launched the Money Hackers Network to bring together personal finance bloggers. I am happy to announce that as of 12:30 PM today, our membership has grown to 30 personal finance blogs. Please visit our members here: Be Thrifty Like Us Being Frugal Bible......
• Diva Cup Review: Going Green On A Personal Level. The following is a guest post from my friend Mrs Micah, who writes about "Finance for a Freelance Life". If you are squirmish about female anatomy, or have the maturity of a 7 year old, you should consider skipping over this post. According to the Women's Environmental Network (PDF), as......

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

Financial Security, Goal, Money, Personal Finance, Wealth

Tags:

athletic style, balanced checkbook, better time, different light, financial effort, financial future, financial outlook, Financial Security, financial stability, futures, gold medal, heart desires, mindset, motivation, olympic events, olympics, perseverance, personal finances, side business, term goals