Why a Car Chase Is Like Your Finances

While I was at the gym this morning, I was sucked into the car chase, happening live, in LA. I watched as that white pick-up truck squeezed in and out of traffic, ran a couple of red lights, and then made it onto the open freeway. As I was almost done with my cardio, the truck got a flat tire, so naturally, I decided I could burn a few more calories… The truck slowed down due to the tire, and they were being followed by at least 15 cop cars, but they kept creeping along.

Finally the truck stopped. The driver got out, put his hands up, and walked backwards toward the cops… but then he stopped. He walked back to the truck, got in, and started driving again. WHAT?!?!? Seriously? You gave up, but then changed your mind? What were you going to do, try to outrun the cops again? And then it occurred to me…

This is exactly what so many people do with their money. They run from the consequences of their spending habits and lack of planning or saving. We squeeze in and out of monthly payments, dodging unexpected events. We even know that we are “surrounded” … by payments that we can’t or don’t want to get out of. Sometimes, we even stop and surrender… but then we decide that we want what we had before, so we get back in the truck with the flat tire – get back into the same habits that got us there in the first place. We trade stuff for our freedom.

There was no way that truck was getting away today… and there is no way you will escape the consequences of your financial behavior.



Leslie Sweet – Financial Coach
865.789.6229
lsweet02@comcast.net