“We all want to win, but winners know the score.”
LESSON 5-6 REMINDER: KEEP SCORE
Life is not a soccer field with a participation trophy. In adult life, there is always a scoreboard. And if we want to win, we must know the score.
Are you aware of your net worth? Do you avoid this number? The median of our society, the masses who live comfortable lives of financial insecurity, don’t know their net worth. Everybody wants to win, but winners know the score.
By tracking your net worth, you can weigh the impact of your choices. If you save $500 this month, or pay down $500 of your debt, your net worth will increase by that amount. If you work in your free hours to earn more, you will see the value of sacrifice when you see your net worth improve as a result.
If you buy a $30,000 indoor swimming pool that adds $20,000 to the value of your house, your net worth will shrink by $10,000. If you use $3,000 from your savings for a vacation, your net worth will decrease by $3,000. A net worth statement is like an x-ray of the moving parts of your financial condition.
The reason to keep score is to gain insight and discipline over the daily choices that impact your wealth. And when you’re moving in a direction, seeing the score improving with each passing month, you’ll feel deep satisfaction.
You’re in it to win it. You want more out of life, and you know this deep longing is not wrong––it’s an inner wisdom compelling you to be all you can be.
Peter Drucker said, “What gets measured gets managed.” If you want financial accumulation, measure it. Keep a running tally. The thrill is the score—there is joy and wonder in watching little seeds grow.
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