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My son just started reading the Harry Potter series – for the third time in three years. I successfully distract him with other books only temporarily before he ends up grabbing that worn copy (my old copy) of Book One, and getting lost in the wizarding world yet again. What a powerful draw that story is!
I remember the first time I read HP. A colleague gave me her copy and told me I’d love it. I was skeptical. Magic and wizards? But of course, I loved it. Such clever writing, interesting characters, and creative concept. And it wasn’t just me; the books are among the highest selling books of all time, appearing on the same top seller lists with books like, yep, the Bible.
So how did such an amazing, will-prove-to-be-timeless novel series come into the world? A lucky break? Random serendipity?
Nope. It was persistence.
It may not be apparently visible. Usually all the work leading up to “overnight successes” is exactly that – invisible.
But J.K. Rowling did the work. And she didn’t give up on her work, even after six rejections from publishers. And then six more. Can you imagine trying for something and being told “no” 12 times without quitting?
This is a principle that I like to think of as a simple dichotomy that applies to pretty much all choices in life, including how we spend and use our money.
You’re only ever moving towards something or away from it. There are only those two options.
You can troubleshoot your book inquiry for the 12th time and try again… or you can give up. One is another inch closer, one is moving forever away.
You can revisit your spending data in your online bank portal and tweak one more habit, cut one more recurring subscription… or you can ignore what’s happening and throw up your hands. One is gaining more insight and creating clarity through action, one is literally turning away from your financial goals.
You can keep grabbing impulse buys at Target… or you can create a rule to only buy what you came for.
You can believe you don’t have any “extra” money to put in savings… or you can set up the automatic monthly transfer anyway and force yourself to figure out the rest.
Check your choices with this question: Will this move me closer to or farther from what I truly want?
Let the answer guide you to persist towards your goals. And then you’ll see how each little effort adds up over time – or, who knows, eventually explodes into something akin to a blockbuster best-seller no one saw coming.
Right here is the point at which the majority of people meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail.
Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich
You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.
Ginny Weasley (aka j.k. Rowling) in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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