Читать книгу Zero Down Your Debt - Greg Johnson - Страница 6

Just a decade ago, I spent most of my waking hours in a stressful, thankless job that made me miserable. Chronic back pain didn’t help, either. After two spinal fusions in my early 20s and complications after my first pregnancy, the constant ache consumed both my energy and my life force, making common tasks and even living and breathing a chore.

When you’re in pain, everything simply seems a whole lot worse. Working 40 to 50 hours a week with young children, a house, and all that jazz is hard enough if you’re healthy. But imagine doing it all with a knife in your back; that’s exactly how I felt.

Yet, I endured it. What choice did I have? We were earning a nice income but absolutely broke in terms of real wealth. We were going through the motions and bringing in steady paychecks, but simultaneously getting nowhere. We were spending every dollar we earned and then some, making it impossible for me to take a lower-paying job, reduce my hours, or try something new. Simply put, we were stuck – or at least I was.

In a lot of ways, my husband had it even worse. He worked in the mortuary business for over a decade, and I was by his side for seven of those years. While I slaved away working crazy hours as our admin and senior event coordinator, my husband’s hours were more like 24/7, 365. Yep, as a mortician, he was on call constantly. So, when the phone would ring – at any time of the day or night – he would have to rush out.

And his hours were brutally inconsistent. Ask anyone in the funeral industry and they’ll tell you it’s either extremely busy or not busy at all. Most of the time, you’re either working a million hours or busy playing Candy Crush Soda Saga.

Sure, funeral home customers are stressed out by the time they get to the mortuary, but there was something comforting about being their rock. For many years, it was enough to dull my back pain and justify the long hours my husband put in. Even when we were feeling down in the dumps or helpless, we could name 10 people who were having the absolute worst day of their lives. That helped us keep things in perspective.

Over the years, we heard and saw it all. From families squabbling over money to sad stories of those who died much too soon, we experienced a merry-go-round of teachable and life-changing moments that made us reflect on the way we ourselves were living. We buried people who retired and dropped dead the next day, young parents who were taken in freak auto accidents, and 30-year-olds with terminal cancer. We saw babies hug their dead fathers for the last time and parents drop to their knees at the sight of their departed children. We listened to them cry, and sometimes we cried with them.

At a certain point, though, we’d had enough. As I mentioned, I was schlepping to work with chronic pain that coupled with constant, utter sadness. And even though my husband, Greg, fared better physically, he had become increasingly frustrated with his long hours and overly demanding schedule.

But we didn’t have much more than a dollar to our names. Eventually, the reality of our situation hit us.

As the months passed, and the tragic, unforgettable moments piled up, we started to wonder, “Should we be doing things differently?”

We spent our days listening to people’s stories, including their biggest regrets. We woke in the middle of the night to cries and shrieks as people came to terms with what they had lost. We had spent early mornings, late nights, holidays, and weekends sharing people’s sorrows – but were we really listening?

“What if we died today?” we began to wonder. Would we be happy with what we accomplished? With how we were living?

Eventually, we started to. And the cosmic shift that took place was nothing short of life-changing. Instead of seeing our customers and thinking to ourselves, “We’re so glad it’s not us,” we began asking a different question: “What if it were?”

“What if we died today?” we began to wonder. Would we be happy with what we accomplished? With how we were living?

Would we be proud? Would we look back and think we had done some amazing things? Would we have no regrets? Was there nothing we would change?

Once we started thinking in these terms, we realized our lives were nothing close to what we wanted them to be. We had no money saved, and thus we had no freedom. We had jobs, but we merely tolerated them. We had debt that weighed us down, yet we weren’t doing anything about it. Simply put, we were neglecting ourselves and our dreams.

Working in the funeral industry meant watching people die every day; it meant being painfully aware of our own mortality. We watched as people lived out their worst nightmares, unable to do anything but help them plan their final goodbye.

One would think that if we learned anything from the experience, it might be that nothing matters. We’re all gonna die, right? So, what’s the point in doing things differently, or changing our lives in uncomfortable ways? What’s the point of trying something new or taking a risk? If the end result is always death, what does any of it matter?

Crazy enough, that’s not what we learned at all. Instead, we learned that everything matters.

We saw how small amounts of money saved over time could lead to real wealth, and that people with modest means but careful plans could live amazing, adventure-filled lives. We learned that young people without a plan grow to be regretful, fearful senior citizens. And we learned that how you treat your parents, how you take care of your body, and how you take care of your money will all matter one day – even if that day seems far, far away.

Most of all, we learned that we wanted our lives to be different – we wanted something more, something amazing. While we were still here on Earth, we wanted to LIVE.

“If you wait too long to create the life you want, it will eventually be too late.”

Once we realized we were wasting some of our best years being miserable, we started thinking about what we really wanted. For me, it was to find a way to leave my job without taking a pay cut and harming my family. I loved working at the mortuary, I really did, but the pain had become unbearable. And at the end of the day, I knew I needed a way out.

But that’s not all I wanted. Even though my children were just babies, I wanted to pay for their college educations. I wanted to retire early, travel the world, and experience places and things other people only dream of.

My husband’s goals were similar: He wanted a career with better hours, the ability to earn more money, a home that was paid off, and more control over our spending. For him, that also meant getting out of debt as soon as humanly possible. Once we made the commitment, we were ready to put it all behind us and move on… and that’s exactly what we did.

Here’s the truth no one wants to hear: Inside every elderly man or woman is a young person wondering what the hell happened. In the blink of an eye, you go from 25 to 40 to 60 to 79, and boy, what a ride. But once you reach old age, the dreams you had – or thought you had – begin to die. When you’re 82 years old, it’s too late to start saving for retirement. With each passing year, the possibilities dwindle. If you wait too long to create the life you want, it will eventually be too late.

Our initial steps were to examine our lives and ask ourselves the big questions: Are we where we want to be? If not, how can we get there? What do we really, truly want out of our lives? If we died today, what would we regret? And what can we do to begin changing that right now?

I wish I could say our journey was easy – that paying off $50,000 in debt, starting a lucrative side business, and changing the way we thought about money was a breeze – but I’d be lying if I did. The truth is, figuring out that we needed to change was a piece of cake. Actually changing ourselves and our behavior? That was an enormous challenge.

We wanted it so badly that we were willing to do anything to change our situation for the better. We wanted a new life – one without the pain and stress we had endured for so long – filled with more joy, more fun, and (most of all) more freedom.

The money connection made more and more sense as we plotted our path toward a debt-free, more exciting, and easier life. If we could just get our money straight, we figured, we could live the life we wanted. Unlike some of our customers who had spent decades in careers they hated to retire in a heap of misery and disgust, we could save our money, invest wisely, become more responsible spenders, and create any life of our choosing.

What a gift that realization was! Once we made that connection, we began to see our customers as our potential future selves. We looked at their sometimes tragic ends not just through the lens of shared humanity, but as if we could see ourselves in their shoes.

We began tying their final outcomes to the things they did and didn’t do along the way. The father who didn’t have life insurance and left a wife and three kids with almost nothing. The couple who saved 10 years for a Hawaiian cruise to celebrate the husband’s 55th birthday, only for him to die a week before. And the woman who confessed privately that she’d been counting down to her husband’s death for years so she could finally spend all the money she’d saved without guilt.

But for every lesson in what not to do, we also found stories of inspiration. We buried people who lived full, wonderful lives without an ounce of regret (according to their loved ones, anyway), and we saw ends that were both dignified and motivating. We buried people who were true heroes – beloved by their families, accomplished, and seemingly at peace with everything left done and undone. And we knew that’s what we wanted.

By now you’re probably wondering what all of this has to do with you. But just as we were inspired to change our lives, there’s a reason you picked up this book, too. Perhaps the title spoke to you – the idea of becoming debt-free and accomplishing a list of goals yourself. Or maybe you’re just tired of living paycheck to paycheck, and ready for something better – something more.

Either way, a zero-sum budget is the key to getting what you want out of life. We suggest “zeroing down your debt” because that is exactly what we did. Can you imagine becoming debt-free without hitting the lottery or receiving a big inheritance? It’s time to start.

I believe you can do it with every fiber of my being, and it’s not just because I’m an optimist; it’s because I’ve done it myself. With just a paper and pen, my family went from struggling to get by to saving a large percentage of our income, reaching small and mid-sized goals, and planning a future that includes checking off our bucket list – one big goal at a time.

The amazing part about what I’m suggesting is that you don’t even need anything to get started. Other than this book, all you need is a pen, some paper, and a sincere desire to change your life in powerful, long-lasting ways. There’s nothing to buy and nothing to download. Yet, following the advice in this book will buy you more freedom than you ever dreamed.

“We all have one life to live on this planet – one life! Yet, far too many of us don’t really know what we want – just that we don’t have it. We spend too much, don’t save enough, and believe the lie that it’s all out of our hands.”

My time in the mortuary business fundamentally changed me, and I feel compelled to share the lessons in this book with everyone who will listen. I feel it’s my calling to shake some sense into people before it’s too late. We all have one life to live on this planet – one life! Yet, far too many of us don’t really know what we want – just that we don’t have it. We spend too much, don’t save enough, and believe the lie that it’s all out of our hands.

It doesn’t have to be that way. With the right attitude, anyone can turn their situation around and start living the life they dreamed. Yes, you read that right. Anyone.

An elderly woman once told me that I would look back one day and realize all that mattered was memories. And time is the most important thing, she said – more important than the world’s most valuable possessions. “Be careful with your time,” she said, because one day you’ll look back and realize that “it’s the only thing you really ever had.”

Hearing those words changed me because I knew they were true. The stuff we buy will all be worthless one day, and the material possessions we pined over won’t mean a thing. But how we spent our time – and what kind of lives we lived – will linger in our memories for as long as we have them.

If you’re like I was, you’re finally realizing you want more than the memories of slaving away at a thankless job, of stressing over your debts, of putting in overtime at work to catch up instead of spending that time with your family. You want more than a mediocre existence; you don’t want to look back with regret; you want to look back in awe.

All of that and more can be yours, but you have to truly want it.

Remember, everything matters – even what you’re doing right now. And there’s no better way to spend your time than plotting your journey out of debt and toward the life of your dreams.

So let’s get started.

How to Use This Book

The purpose of this book is to help you zero down your debt so that you can live a fulfilling and exciting life. That’s hard to do when you’re constantly working to pay off debt. We want to help you reclaim your power, to put you back in control of your life, and to provide you with options you didn’t even know existed.

Sound too good to be true? That’s OK. At this point, all we’re asking you to do is read the book and apply the system. The rest will take care of itself.

If you do the work, the results will come.

Action Items

When we think in terms of the big picture, things often feel overwhelming. Getting out of debt can seem the same way. But when we break things down into small, actionable items, large ideas suddenly become manageable. Big goals are always accomplished through a series of small actions, and that is exactly what we are going to do here.

At the beginning of each chapter, we’ll provide an overview of what you should learn. Once you’ve read through the chapter, you’ll notice a list of “Action Items” to accomplish. These are simple, small, actionable tasks that you can use to seize control of your finances – one small step at a time. We’ll explain exactly what’s required, but it’s up to you to take it from there and put it into practice.

Just as reading a magazine about weight lifting won’t whip you into shape, reading this book without taking action won’t get you out of debt. Use the action items like you would a workout routine. Complete the workout, and you’ll see the results. Do nothing, and you’ll be left making excuses as to why it doesn’t work.

The 10 Fundamental Truths of Destroying Debt and Building Real Wealth

Let’s start things off with a bang! Throughout this book, we’ll be referring to 10 important principles we believe are the foundations to destroying debt and building real wealth. We think these principles can fundamentally alter the way you think about – and use – the money you earn. In short, if you want to get out of debt and build real wealth, it’s absolutely necessary to understand the following 10 keys beliefs.

Truth #1:

Debt is the single biggest obstacle standing between you and the life of your dreams.

When you’re in debt, it’s hard to save for a vacation, your children’s college education, or other financial goals you might have. By and large, debt stands in the way of the things you really want in life, sucking your paycheck into its depths one dollar at a time.

Truth #2:

Your paycheck is your most powerful wealth building tool.

We spend our whole lives hoping to hit the lottery or wishing we could just get a bigger raise at work. But if you learn to harness the power of the money you already earn, you might be surprised by how far you can stretch it. Plenty of people have grown rich with modest incomes and careful planning; you can be one of them.

Truth #3:

Debt is the enemy of income.

Remember how debt sucks away your income one dollar at a time? When you have tons of debts to pay and bills to take care of every month, your income never seems like enough. But when you’re debt-free, your income belongs to you, not your debt.

Truth #4:

He who has the gold makes the rules.

Borrowing money gives away your power to others. When you owe money to someone, you’re beholden to them and must keep working in service of that debt – not your own goals.

Truth #5:

When you tell your money what to do, it listens.When you don’t, it disappears.

When you don’t track your spending or live within a budget, any extra money you earn has a way of disappearing – and quickly. But when you tell your money what to do each month, it works magic for your finances.

Truth #6:

A zero-sum budget is the most effective tool for harnessing the power of your paycheck.

Because a zero-sum budget empowers every dollar you earn to pay down debt, start saving, and get ahead with your finances, we believe it’s the most effective tool for getting your money straight. And if you aren’t zeroing down your debt, you’re not doing the best you can.

Truth #7:

Debt neither discriminates nor is cured by income. Rather, it is caused and controlled by spending.

Plenty of rich people are deeply in debt, while many with modest incomes live rich, debt-free lives. That’s because debt does not discriminate based on how much you earn. Anyone at any level can dig their way into debt, and anyone willing to rein in their spending can dig their way out.

Truth #8:

Living below your means is the most efficient way to unleash your paycheck’s potential.

Living below your means is the best and only way to destroy debt and start saving for the future. Spending every dollar you make means you’re standing still at best, unable to make progress toward your goals. Spending more than you make is a recipe for financial disaster.

Truth #9:

If you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it.

We’re brought up to believe that we can, and should, borrow money to buy anything we want. From new furniture to a new wardrobe, using debt to “buy now and pay later” is commonplace. But, our penchant for debt has proved disastrous for our finances. To avoid a life of debt and ongoing bills, it’s essential to buy only what you can pay for with cash.

Truth #10:

Your spending decisions have consequences and are a reflection of what you value.

It’s easy to think that none of your decisions matter too much. Your monthly cable bill, the daily stop at your favorite coffee shop, and the new car you bring home every few years are no big deal, right? Wrong. Here’s the truth: Nearly everything you do with your money matters. Big and small, the decisions you make – and the decisions you don’t make – will eventually make or break your finances. It’s just a matter of time.

“Every small action matters. Complete each individual task and you WILL see results.”

What to Expect

There’s nothing too complex about what we’re suggesting here. The steps are simple and easy to understand. But make no mistake, putting them into practice (and sticking with it) can be incredibly hard. In fact, it could be the hardest “easy” thing you’ll ever do.

Some of the steps you’ll take may be emotional for you. They may test your patience and resolve. They’ll push you to make changes in your life, changes that may feel uncomfortable at first.

It’s OK. These feelings are natural. You’re human.

But, don’t quit. Keep going. Just keep chipping away, one small step at a time. These are the changes that will make a difference in your financial and personal life. This is where it happens. This is where you take control.

Hundreds of thousands of people have done it, and you will too.

So, let’s get excited! Let’s get pumped up! Let’s crush this freakin’ debt and start living life on our own terms!!!

Every small action matters. Complete each individual task and you WILL see results.

The journey of 5,000 miles starts with a single step, so let’s get stepping!