Screeeeeech! There it was: the trash truck just one house away, interrupting my morning coffee. Another shirt stain as I shot up to make it to the curb in time. Clad in my rattiest pajamas and house slippers, unacceptable by any social standard, I couldn’t miss pick-up for a third week in a row. With a furrowed brow and sheer determination, I got as close to sprinting as I have in my adult life. “Waiittt!” I huffed, as I Sonic-the-Hedgehoged my way to the curb…
Ringlets of exhaust pluming into my face, I wondered, ‘Why did that feel so vulnerable?’
Caught in my feral state and mumbling expletives, I couldn’t help but feel that bombing it down my driveway was yet another example of trailing behind. There’s so much to keep up with in adulthood. Nope, haven’t read The Miracle Morning (clearly). Nope, wasn’t aware that Sweden made a bid to join NATO. Nope, haven’t worn my retainers for the last 8 years, and now I need Invisalign. I embraced missing trash day as another epic fail.
The trash truck symbolizes how I felt about my finances in my BY (before-YNAB) era. Constantly being left in the dust by something much bigger and faster than me—always a half-step behind where my bank account “should” be.
Attaching your net worth to your actual worth is the same as attaching chores to your morality. Whether you get your trash to the curb on time or your laundry done says nothing about who you are as a person. Neither does your financial past.
Little by little, the feeling of being perpetually behind, under-prepared, ill-equipped, or constantly failing leads to burnout. Jesse Mecham, YNAB’s founder, explores how the hamster wheel of money worry actually creates a more distant relationship with your finances.
But then, YNAB comes along—and here you are, just in time for pick-up.
You’re always in the right place at the right time
When I found YNAB (like you just did!), I finally felt empowered to take the lead in my life. It taught me how to make small daily decisions that eliminated second-guessing. The live workshops, uplifting teachers, empowering videos, and reading materials gave me a new set of tools so I could know better… and do better.
Like this YNABer, I started to see how the four habits applied to more than just money. Once you start practicing the habits, you see them everywhere.
The moment you discover YNAB is the exact right moment. The time is nigh to take the lead on your finances—which is just another way of taking the lead in your life and creating the future you want. With YNAB, you won’t miss the trash truck. You’ll BE the trash truck, planning your route and taking care of business.
Here’s how YNAB’s four habits help you take the lead in your life:
- Confidence to make your own decisions. YNAB will help you discover what you want out of your money (and your life!). The four habits help you embrace the scarcity of your money so your priorities become crystal clear.
- Vision to really see your desired outcome. Sometimes the only thing keeping us from achieving our goals is a lack of vision. YNAB will show you the truth about your financial life so you can imagine a different future.
- Obstacles you’ve defined. When you know what you need to overcome, you’re halfway there. YNAB will help you prepare for any unexpected expenses that would have previously thrown you off your goal.
- A plan to make it all happen. YNAB will give you the tools and the skills to make a concrete plan. You’ll chart a course for the future while working with the money you have right now. And YNAB will help you track your progress and adjust your plan along the way.
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To my pleasant surprise, I did make it to the curb in time to get both my trash and recycling picked up. I was met with a friendly smile, an inaudible bit of encouragement, and a thumbs up… as if to say, “Calm down, you made it. Everything in your entire life is going to be just fine.”
Whatever brought you here—the app store, the Mint shutdown, a recommendation from a stranger in a grocery store who couldn’t stop raving about YNAB—you made it. And you’re right on time.
Ready to liberate yourself from feeling behind?
Sign up for our free Change Your Money Mindset Challenge. Think: free workbook, transformational email series, and a clear route to a future you’ll love living in.
