Welcome to Under 2, an email series delivering short insights to empower your money life – in 2 minutes or less.
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We’ve all heard, and many of us have made, the argument that personal finance ought to be taught in schools. There’s a wealth of essential information and skills that every person who uses money (i.e. everyone) should have at their fingertips.
But when we condemn the education system for failing us in financial prowess, we’re also buying into a story that it was someone else’s job to teach us money skills. And that becoming financially savvy is simply a box that must be checked on the way to adulthood.
The truth is that our strongest skills—financial or otherwise—come from ongoing learning and practice. Just like our worst habits form through repetition, our best habits are intentionally built and reinforced over time.
And this is why we are lifelong learners of any field we care about mastering. This is easy in the case of hobbies and crafts we are naturally drawn to, like a love of music, art, or sports. But the same is true of essential life skills, like cooking, parenting, and managing money (to name a few that top my “constantly learning” list). We get better when we dedicate time to learning and practice, as well as trying out new methods and ideas.
Think about skills you’ve mastered in other areas of life. No one handed you a comprehensive manual on day one. Even if they had, reading one book or taking one class wouldn’t have made you an expert. You learned by doing—by trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again—and you’ve probably continued to improve with more time and effort.
Money works the same way. This kind of learning never ends.
And yet, many people treat personal finance like a one-and-done lesson. Something they should have “figured out” by now. But the reality is, managing money isn’t static. Your needs at 20 are different from your needs at 40 or 60. The economy changes, interest rates fluctuate, job markets shift, financial tools evolve.
What worked for you five years ago might not serve you today. Your top concerns five years ago might not be your biggest issues today.
Just as we parents must learn to guide our teens with a different skillset than we learned to nurture babies, we must continually learn and practice different approaches to manage our bills, spending, investing, and long-term planning.
That’s why financial growth isn’t about knowing everything right now—it’s about staying engaged, learning, practicing, and adapting. A lifelong process, not a single event.
Think about the biggest financial decisions you’ve made in the past year. Did you feel prepared? Informed? Proactive? Or were you scrambling, guessing, or hoping for the best? If the latter, don’t beat yourself up—but do recognize the opportunity.
If you haven’t been actively improving your money management, start now. Read a new book, listen to a podcast, take a course—like Money Strategy School— or simply look over your spending with fresh eyes. Small steps compound over time, just like small financial habits do.
Mastering money may not be quite as fun as learning a new hobby, but it touches every aspect of your life. And just like with health, relationships, or career growth, our financial well-being is our responsibility.
So, ask yourself: Are you actively improving your financial knowledge and habits? What’s the next best step you owe yourself today?
Tomorrow’s illiterate will not be the man who can’t read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn.
Herbert Gerjuoy
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
Benjamin Franklin
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Under 2, an email series designed to share quick bites of wisdom to empower your financial journey (while keeping it short). Be sure to sign-up below to get these messages in your inbox.
All for now,
Lindsey