Time to Look Closer

NOTE: All batteries were replaced; 2 shades unopened need replacement...another part of the story

I had a busy Saturday this weekend, which was not meant to be. See it started out with a simple thought. Let me finally change those batteries in the blinds on the 2nd story. So I got the ladder out, aligned it, and prepared to go up and pull down all the battery tubes. When I got up there I made the mistake of looking a bit closer. If you look at the picture you will see a picture frame to the left, amongst some other things. On a regular day, we enjoy this beautiful room and do not think anything of what is going on with this second story. But today, as I climbed up there I realized the windows, the pictures, etc. were in need of some TLC. So a simple job turned a bit more difficult, now not just changing batteries, but cleaning windows, wiping down dirt, dusting and just making it look good for the next 6-12 months before I climb back up there.

As I stood up there working through all of this I thought about what happens when you look a little closer, and dig a little deeper in all aspects of life. Many days we get caught up in just taking care of business, not thinking about the finer details of what is going on in our lives. Every once in a while we need to take a step back, sit down, and sift through things to make sure we are on track with our life, career, and of course our finances.

Now, let me give you some key tips on where to dig in for each of these areas, especially since you may have some extra time as we approach this year-end.

1) Goal check: What were your goals for 2023 and how are you trending in each of these areas? Have you looked at them throughout the year? Did you even write them down? Now is the time to sit down and look at where you are tracking here. Did you set your goals too high? Too low? Or are you on track and satisfied? Don't worry about where you landed the purpose of goals is to have something to strive after. If you didn't hit them it is not a ding against you, rather it is something to learn from.

2) Overall status: From a financial perspective this is why I always start with looking at your net worth. This is the lens that is most important to give you a reality check on your financial health. I'll be honest I never really thought about this until about 2 years ago. Thankfully I made some smart choices along the way, but had I put a better lense on this one I believe I would have made some smarter choices.

From a career and life perspective, are you where you want to be? What change if any would you make at this point? Do you feel valued for the work you do? I believe you need to look at these separately, but the questions are mostly the same. If you are married, this is a good topic for a date night. Get to talking about what each of you wants and how are you progressing together. If you are a believer, are you in God's will, have you spent time in prayer seeking his will and plan for you? Take some time to talk and think through these steps. It will change your outlook as you begin to prepare for the new year.

3) Know your numbers: There are no numbers for life that I can think of, so this one primarily points back to your career and your finances. I laughed this morning as I listened to the Ramsey show and they "scolded" the caller a bit for not knowing her salary/monthly income. You need to know this number and you need to know your budget, what you are spending, etc. There is no time for not knowing this. If you don't know then you've got dust piling up in your checking account and you have no idea where anything is going. It is time to dig in and dust this off.

Additionally, you should know your salary progression and career progression. How long have you been in your current role? How much has your salary grown? How much have you grown? I sat down a few years ago to chart this out, both from a level perspective and from a salary perspective. It will help you to see if you are progressing or have you become stagnant. You need to be looking beyond the level because there is something to be said about your growth as an individual, what you are learning, etc. Take the time to map this out. It may take some digging, but blow the dust off to see how you are doing.

I hope you are able to get some rest over the holiday break and I encourage you to take some time and dig into the details. It will help you as you close out the year and prepare for 2024.

Keep after it and keep working!