Habits for a Lifetime

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." – Aristotle

It’s February! How is your progress going with sticking to your resolutions and creating new habits? I know it can be challenging to develop new routines, especially when it comes to financial habits.

I became a Coffeehouse Investor almost by default. The wealth-building habits I embraced 40 years ago are the same ones I have today.

When I was winding up college in 1982, I lost most of my meager life savings trading wheat futures; a painful lesson that shaped the way I started investing – no more speculating for me. Over the past four decades, I have invested exclusively in broad-based stock and bond funds. In fact, I can confidently say I have never purchased shares of an individual stock in my life. On top of that, I live within my means, a cornerstone of financial stability I likely inherited growing up on our family’s wheat farm in the Palouse region of Eastern Washington.

However, as I look to improve other areas of my life, including my physical and spiritual well-being, I struggle a little at creating good habits. If you are on a journey to create better habits for yourself, here are a few steps for you to consider that are helping me: 

Start Small

Whether it's a short walk, light stretching, or a few minutes of meditation, starting small makes it easier to incorporate new habits into your daily life.

Create a Routine

Consistency is key to forming habits. Schedule your activities at the same time each day to make them a regular part of your routine. This could be a morning walk, an evening meditation session, or a daily journaling practice.

Track Your Progress

Keeping a journal or using an app to track your activities can be very motivating, at least it has been for me. Seeing your progress over time reinforces the positive changes you're making and encourages you to keep going.

Celebrate Small Wins

Reward yourself for reaching milestones, no matter how small. Celebrating these achievements provides positive reinforcement and helps maintain your motivation.

Creating good habits has been a lifetime journey for me, and it's never too late to start. By focusing on small, consistent actions, we can improve various aspects of our lives and continue to grow as individuals. Embrace the power of habits in your journey to be your best self - for yourself! 

Build a Path Forward

If you want to change your wealth-building habits and work to create a path toward long-term success in retirement and beyond, connect with me on a complimentary strategy call* and learn how our integrative approach could help build, grow, protect, and preserve your wealth.