It’s the time of year when you’ll often see or hear parts of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and the story of his ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. It’s a story that could easily be adapted to your financial life so let’s see how each of these “ghosts” can help you create a better financial future for you and your family.

The Past

Have you ever stopped to reflect on the financial decisions you’ve made in the past? Which ones were good and which ones were not so good (or bad!)?

There’s nothing you can do to change the past, but it can teach us a lot of valuable lessons. We often find people have been paralysed in the past in terms of making financial decisions. They have been overwhelmed by too many options and too many things going on in their lives meaning most people’s financial past consists of not doing very much and having the stereotypical Australian attitude of “she’ll be right, mate”. In saying that, you will certainly have made some good financial decisions along the way so don’t forget to celebrate your successes.

As you think beyond the past and into the present and future, recognise that your time to get your money situation sorted out is dwindling. And when I say that, I mean you only have a certain number of pay cheques left before you want to retire… how many pay cheques have you already had? Did you make the most of them? THE TIME TO GET SERIOUS IS NOW!

The Present

Do you know how you’re travelling money-wise right now? Are you on track for where you want to get to? What are your goals and what is your plan?

The simple reality is that if you don’t know where you want to go, you’ll probably end up somewhere else.

The present presents the opportunity to stop and take stock of your situation. What are you currently doing that’s going to improve your financial future? What else could you be doing? And what are you currently doing that’s making your financial future worse that you can stop?

The Future

Just like it was for Scrooge, the future is still yours to create! The decisions you make in the present will determine what that future looks like.

If I send this same piece of writing out again in 12 months’ time, will you be reading it after taking charge of your future? What actions will you have taken?

Often the hardest part is getting started and for most people that’s because they’re not sure where to start. You don’t have to invent it yourself. Follow a recipe and learn from what others have done before you.

At Wealth Train, we’re teaching people what they need to know to take control of their financial future. Nothing fancy, just the tried and tested methods… the ones that have been proven to work time and time again. We’d love to help you in 2017.

Scrooge hated Christmas, calling it “humbug”… and sadly many Australians hate what they wake up to later in life because it’s only then that they realise they needed a plan when they were younger. They face decades of being poor… BAH! HUMBUG!

Don’t make the same mistakes.

Cheers,

Daniel