Ready for Better

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Debt is Normal - Be Weird!! (like me... or like you are built to be...)

You're Weird! At least Different. Okay, maybe Unique?

I know and appreciate this about You...

I have 758 friends on my facebook page and 158 people "like" my business True North Financial Fitness Coaching. That is quite a few right?

The stats are showing me that I have around 25 regular readers of this blog. A rather small amount compared to those who may have access to it.

So, statistically, if you are reading this right now, you're one of those 25.

THANK YOU! For being in this small minority of people who take time every week to tune in and read whatever crazy ideas my Thursday mind has conjured up!

I am Very interested in Your Story, what sets You apart, and which topics that I've written have spoken to you the most.

I want to continue to let these words flow from my own unique mind. I also now want to know what unseen force has magnetized Your weird brain to mine!

Would you please do me the honor of engaging via:

email: aaron@truenorthffc.com

or text: 785-218-6134

or facebook: www.facebook.com/cydeburn

I would LOVE to hear from you! How about a couple questions to ponder or answer if you feel so moved.

1.Who Are you.

2.What makes you want to learn more about financial peace?

3. Do you envision yourself in a wealthy future?

4. Does a blog about Dogs, Motorcycles, Geese and Gravestones have Anything to do with Money?? (ha!)

Thanks so much for your feedback, as this unique... Actually SPECIAL community grows, I want to send appreciation to You for being part of it.

Gravestones??? Yup.

Yesterday, I had a few extra minutes to spend before seeing a client in Ottawa.

I drove out 15th street to Highland Cemetary. As usual, I rolled up quietly by the grave markers for My Grandfather, Grandmother and Dad.

Just less than a year ago in this same place I quietly asked a question to these family members about leaving my job, going my own way and trying to build a business from scratch... They spoke to me then as they do now...

"We've got your back!" is actually the message conveyed to me by them.

I just loved that. Thanks Again to Everyone "Up There."

Yesterday though, a New message came. One that I've never realized before...

This whole Weird, Different, Unique way that I see and am now persuing life and my goals is actually in my DNA. This is proven in the camera-phone pics below.

Take a look at this picture. In the foreground, the small stone is my Dad's, the next is his parents'.

Just yesterday it occured to me that all the other stones in the area are factory-made, polished and purchased and pretty.

Ours? Nope.

Natural limestones gathered from the family farmstead and built by a Nichols hand. No perfectly straight edges, no shiny finish. This is the Nichols way... Our Way and it is manifested in family honoring family...

This is in my DNA, it is my nature to be different.

I was blown away by this simple realization.

Honestly, there have been times in life that I have been very uncomfortable with feeling like an outsider, or weird or not part of the normal crowd.

Now that my weirdness has led me down a path to debt-freedom, entreprenuership & passion for helping others, I couldn't be happier about all of it.

Funny how God works. He's given us all the tools we need, to be the person we came here to be. Sometimes they lay unseen right in front of our faces for years at a time.

Are we ready to open our eyes?

Because you are reading this, because you are one of the 25. I believe you are. Only weirdos would tune in every week to this silly blog.

Thanks to You too for "Havin' my Back!" I trust you'll be here next week for more!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Got a leaky Wallet? Bulging budget or none at all? Dilapidated Debt that you're sick of living with? You are losing hard earned dollars every month! Let me show you how to spackle the cracks and firm up your financial foundation. DIY or using my professional services, either way, the best time to fix your finances is Now!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Geese Don't Fly in No VEEE!!

Look Up! These pale grey winter skies have birds aplenty and life and money lessons too...

At least around Princeton Kansas they do.

The flocks of Canadian Geese are always coming and going. They'll find a field to frolic in, or maybe, as the picture below shows: A secluded quarry lake with ice, open water and protection from the wind.

What can we learn from these long-travel migrants that cover thousands of miles each winter? What can we find out about ourselves, and yes, our finances in these great Vee's in the sky?

From Wikipedia - The Explanation of the V formation

The V formation greatly boosts the efficiency and range of flying birds, particularly over long migratory routes. All the birds except the first fly in the upwash from the wingtip vortices of the bird ahead. The upwash assists each bird in supporting its own weight in flight, in the same way a glider can climb or maintain height indefinitely in rising air. In a V formation of 25 members, each bird can achieve a reduction of induced drag by up to 65% and as a result increase their range by 71%.^[1] The birds flying at the tips and at the front are rotated in a timely cyclical fashion to spread flight fatigue equally among the flock members. The formation also makes communication easier and allows the birds to maintain visual contact with each other.

I want to point out something that this technical explanation does not.

Geese Have NO IDEA what a VEE Is!

"Upwash" and "Wingtip Vortices" are just plain Hogwash to a Goose!

Seriously, can we conclude that their "In-Flight Choreographer" has explained ahead of time who flies next to who, how far to space yourself, when to do-si-do and turn yourself around?? I think NOT!

Guess how this Magical Formation becomes; what all these scientific terms really come from...

The Goose Flies: WHERE IT IS EASIEST TO FLY!!

If you were a big 'ol Honker and had a'ways to go, would you flap along all by your self out in the middle of nowhere?

When pulling up alongside your pal, you'd find quite a lift of breeze and all of a sudden it is Much Easier to float along; what would you do?

Would you mind that your energy now helps lift your neighbor that rides up behind, to your right or left a little? Heck no, the more the merrier!

What about the poor guy up front, breaking the air for all his followers? Well, when he gets tired, and backs off, someone Well Rested is right there to take his place. The leader then gets to go and float along till his turn comes back around. He's then renewed and ready for more action!

We can break down this amazing sky-dance into physics terms; or we can simply understand that when you have a long way to go... Do what is EASIER!

Living a Debt-Free and In-Control financial lifestyle is just like flying in the "Upwash" and "Wingtip Vortices". Everything just seems to require less effort.

The number of decisions to make per week on paying bills or juggling finances is dropped to near zero. The stress of stretching a paycheck across that last week of the month is gone. The energy and work it takes to "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" can be spent in other areas of life.

Believe me, you can go 70% further with your money when living debt-free!

So: What if I'm saddled-down with the weight of credit card bills? It's hard to fly with a car payment book chained to my neck! My student loans and 2nd mortgage are like anchors dragging along the ground...

Well, we have powerful exercise equipment to strengthen your wings. We can cut loose as much unnecessary weight as possible. By powerful focus and extra-hard flapping of your God-Given wing-power, for a temporary distance, you can catch up and ride easy-breezy with the gang.

Those of us in the Debt-Free Vee want you up here with us. We'd love to show you the view. You too can go thousands of extra miles, thousands of extra dollars, ahead of those trying to do it all on their own, fighting turbulent winds while carrying extra baggage.

During these frigid snowy days, I get another idea in my mind... Guess what happens when you have the strength, stamina and a flight plan to fly thousands of miles at a time? You can choose to go South for the Winter!

Thanks for flying along with my blog through all these windy writings. I am truly honored to have you in my flock!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Thursday, February 3, 2011

1 out of 3 Four Year Olds Know the Path to Wealth, Do You?

Bright White. Soft and sugary. A fat powdery coated puff of marshmallow can be a tasty time machine that instantly transports you back to childhood... It also can tell you if you will end up wealthy or not.

In the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment (1972), conducted by Prof. Walter Mischel, at Stanford University, California, we find the research that proves my theory.

You may have heard of this challenge: A 4 year-old child is put in a room by themselves with one marshmallow sitting on the table in front of them. They are told that if they can wait alone with that marshmallow for 15 minutes and not eat it, they will get two marshmallows... hmmm, does that little "deal" sound familiar?

"Live like no one else, so later you get to live like no one else" - Dave Ramsey

In the experiment, 2 out of 3 kids ate the marshmallow before the time was up and therefore only got one. The other third of the children did wait it out and ended up getting twice as much; Two Marshmallows! They were naturally good at Delaying Gratification.

These children were followed until thier college years. There we saw that the ones who waited had a much higher success rate in school and other areas of their lives. They were reaping the rewards of patience.

I believe this has impact not only with kids and sweet treats... It also correlates with how we approach life, relationships, health and especially purchases.

Do you choose to buy something Now with a loan, 90 days same-as-cash or credit cards? Or do you choose to wait on a purchase and save the money up to buy something?

I know that this is a universal law, that when you wait and delay gratification, you get a more abundant result.

Believe me, I have been the Insta-Eater kind of kid for many years, and still have lots of work to do on this issue. I love this simple analogy. Now when I am making a decision on a purchase or whether or not to eat that fresh-baked cookie, I realize that waiting will bring a bigger reward.

Here is your take-away for the your own MarshMoney test: Of the kids who waited, some had tricks for making the agonizing 15 minutes go by easier... They looked around the room, they played with the chair or their shoes, they basically Didn't Look At the Marshmallow!

So don't torture yourself by sniffing, feeling and licking the thing. That only makes the waiting worse... While you are on your journey out of debt, or learning to save up for that new appliance, "Don't Look at the Marshmallow!"

Stay away from the Mall or the Electronics Store, Stay out of the Resturant where you have to feel weird ordering the cheapest thing there. Keep the spending tempations away from your senses and it will make the process so much easier.

I promise you that being out of debt and having financial freedom is worth the wait!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Fear-Be-Gone! Get Financially Ripped one Baby Step at a Time!

Clank... clank... clank... clank... thud, whirr, clank, whirrr, whirrr, thud, CLANK. A hushed but audible radio plays in the background. Several sweaty bodies are scattered around the place, in various contortions of abstract motion.

I find myself very uncomfortably standing at the front desk of the Ottawa Nautilus Fitness Center circa 2001... Hang on for this story, you're gonna laugh!

Looking across the vast gym, I am completely out of my comfort zone and feeling absolutely insecure.

To go back to that place and time I should provide more about my lifestyle at age 22. I'll make this part fast... #1 Goal? Have FUN! Then work hard and Play Harder! Every night is a new adventure, Never worry about tomorrow! Needless to say, the fitness level of my body and my wallet was completely Out of Shape!

I don't remember exactly what brought me to the Gym. It may have been the latest great idea of the group of guys I ran around with. We were going to be in great shape and have fun doing it!

Honestly though, standing at the front of this gym in downtown Ottawa, all that energy and excitement had drained out and fear was taking over...

My mind observed a whole new and alien world to me. I didn't know what was what. I felt no bearing on where to start. I felt silly for being worried so much about something that seemed so simple to all the other folks in the gym.

I feared looking stupid, doing the wrong things & having my weakness of body and strength on display for all the gym to see.

I had years of guilt washing over me. I never was interested in physical fitness until now. What had I been thinking! Was it too late? Did I deserve a fit body when I had neglected mine so long? I saw myself on square #1.

In my head, everyone here had worked out for 4 hours a day, every-day for their whole lives. They were all triathletes and here I am, the weird new kid who probably will drop the bench-press bar on my face or something! I had beaten myself mentally, before I ever tried.

Anyway, I did sign up to be a member.

I began on the treadmill. I jogged a little and let my new surroundings sink in. I tentatively played with the machines trying not to break them or me. I met "the guys" for some light lifting and low reps. It didn't kill me :)

Over the next few weeks, I began to feel more comfortable with my own capabilites. I did, little by little, learn to enjoy this new facet to my lifestyle. Step by step on the treadmill, my confidence grew and I came closer to being comfortable in my body and in this once terrifying place...

That experience began an understanding for me that I always want physical fitness to be part of my life. A gym-rat I am not. I did later become a big fan of bicyling and had about 3 years of very rewarding miles out on the trail. Although the focus comes and goes, I've never forgotten how good it feels to be in shape and confident in my physical abilities...

Sooo, this world of financial fitness? How does it make you feel?

Are these blog topics, and word Budget or Dave Ramsey, bringing anxiety, just to think about? Is the thought of using cash as your spending tool just as scary as a squat-bar loaded with giant weights? Do you feel guilt for years of couch-potato-like financial habits? Does it feel like it may be too late to start getting in shape?

I know those feelings.

I've lived those feelings too.

I was also the poster-child for out-of-financial-shape-ness!

I had all those same feelings when I began my journey to financial freedom. I thought it was too late. I thought I had too much debt. I thought I had no control on the cost of living my life.

I had that same gym-like anxiety sitting in the waiting room at a hospital reading Dave's book the Total Money Makeover. I was afraid people in public would see that I was out of shape and weak with my money...

Truth is, just by being IN the gym. Just by having that book IN my hand, I had Victory.

I had taken the first baby step. I was TRYING!

Every little step of progress helped me to feel more confident than the last. The fears of "what if I can't", "what if it's too hard" & "what if I fail" start to melt when you get moving in the right direction. The act of trying is what shrinks the fear.

If I can become financially fit, believe me, So Can You!

I see things from the other side now. I have mastered the equipment and techniques of building a solid financial body. I still enjoy the adrenaline of working those money muscles. And Yes, I fall off track every once in a while, just as all humans do :)

If you want a personal trainer who understands. One who has transitioned from taking bill-collector's calls to being completely debt-free, then my coaching services are for you. We'll use the Baby Step approach to gaining confidence and climbing toward debt-freedom.

My money-gym membership info is available at http://www.truenorthffc.com/ check out "What is Coaching" for details.

You have the ability in you. I can show you how to put it into action. And, YES you will be more attractive, inside and out, when you know that you have a buff & chiseled

financial physique!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Thursday, January 20, 2011

We're droppin the Green Flag!

Financial Fitness. It's coming on like a nitrous-powered dragster. Can you feel the ground rumbling?

Surely you are noticing this new wave of thinking. It's actually old school that is now becoming cool again :)

Interest in having savings.
Pride in conservative spending.
People starting to go on a Stuff Diet.
Less impulse to get a loan for a purchase.
Overall more emphasis on wise money habits.

This is absolutely the best thing to come out of the change in our economy in the last couple years. The growth of our relationship with debt and it's impacts on our lives is tremendous.

We all had a wonderful chance to learn how important it is to not be spread too thin with our money. I see GREAT things in the future for those who've learned from the mistakes of our culture in recent years.

Wise people from Ottawa and the surrounding areas about to embark on a financial learning journey. They have chosen to attend Financial Peace University. These classes are being held all over the nation. I am volunteering to host one at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ottawa. It starts on Monday night... I AM EXCITED!!!!!

"More than one million families have attended Financial Peace University with amazing results. On average, these families paid off $5,300 in debt and saved $2,700 in just the first 90 days!" (from DR's website)

All 18 people in my class had a pivotal moment when they made the decision to do this. With one little three letter word of "yes", they've transformed thier financial future forever. VICTORY with a word.

It won't be easy, but Everyone who attends all 13 weeks and implements the changes, will be driving a fast moving dragster toward Financial Peace!

Proud and honored are just a couple of the things I feel about being the host for this event.

I have personally lived the experience of the ride to debt-freedom. It will be inspiring to watch this class develop toward the same goal. In this group setting they will see that they are not alone. Together they'll support and encourage each other. It will be a wonderful gathering of energy focused on the acceptance of debt-reality and real action toward improvement!

My individual coaching services are best for the kickstart needed to get your financial engine rebuilt and idling correctly. We can even work together toward a sweet tune-up and solid reliable ride.

Financial Peace University is always a recommended follow-up to that package. For the long term health of your money-motor, FPU provides instruction for You to become your own certified mechanic, customizer and driver of a Real Financial Hot Rod! Are you ready?

Visit the first night of an FPU Class near you. It is free with no obligation. I warn you, it is tough to see the fun and not want to join up. In this race, Everybody gets to win!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sno' Money

Good Morning from a Brightly Snowlit, Chilly and Debt-Free Corner of Princeton, Kansas.

Honestly, I've been wanting this fluffy white stuff to show up! I've had a snow-blog idea that's been rolling around in my mind for awhile now. Hope you enjoy!

Here it is, Your Challenge: Cover a thousand square miles in 5 inches of white fluffy frozen powder in just a few hours... Okay...

How would you begin a process like this? What would be your first step? Can you even fathom it?

Well it's a huge area - so you need something really really big right? Where would you start? Seems like waaaay to big a project to ever get going!

And from these pictures from south and west of Princeton, we have proof once again that it can be done. It is proven time and again every winter here in Kansas...

I am amazed when seeing this beauty and realizing that it is all done with billions of tiny snowflakes that are each created unique. The first several billion of these creations fall to the ground and melt immediately! They Give of themselves to cool down the surface so the others can take hold. Eventually with more and more and more flake effort, the whiteness starts to stick and then takes over...

How opposite of thinking is this from anything that ever crossed the mind of a human. Our creator's ways are just beautifully amazing.

A day of country cruising and enjoying the new-fallen snow reminds me that we are not nearly as smart as we think we are. Our minds are not built like that of our creator. But we can learn those ways.

When it comes to finances, we believe we have the right answer. We believe that our way of Spending Money Wisely and Having the Things We Need is best.

With research we find out that these are not the ways of the wise and learned in the recorded history. Dave Ramsey will say he teaches God's and Grandma's ways of dealing with money. It actually goes way beyond that. The wise teachings of old from all over the world, every faith and nationality, are all chock-full of emphasis on Giving, Saving and Then Spending.

Is this the way that your mind approaches payday?

Our universe has such a perfect rhythm and balance, but we are not using this architecture in our own lives. The more we can find out about the True ways of handling money, the more we find out that our potential is surprisingly inconceivable.

Not all winter blessings are out in the cold. Not all rich blessings are money. Case in point: I was blessed to share Monday's Snow Day Drive with the beautifully adventurous Lindsay. Yup, God likes me :)

We do have the ability and responsibility to blanket our financial future with snowy white riches.

If you're ready to begin this process, throw out all your smart ideas. Get some of God's. He seems to know what he's doing :)

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Thursday, January 6, 2011

College Prep Chemistry at Ottawa High

Good Morning from a nice sunny January Day in Princeton!

Waaaaaay back in the 90's when I attended Ottawa High School, in Ottawa, Kansas, There were a couple words that could strike fear in the heart of this slightly above average student: "Doc Cain!" Although I had no rational basis for being so scared of Mr. Cain and his College Prep Chemistry Class, I just plain was.

I took the course in my Junior Year and have many vivid memories. College Prep Chemistry was the most comprehensive and in-depth study that I had experienced in my 16 years. The kids in class were your typical over-achievers. We felt this was important stuff that was preparing us for the courses we'd take at University level in the years to come. We did experiments and bent little glass pipettes. We used crucibles and torches and took notes and were very serious about it all. The work load was tough, the subjects abstract.

Big projects required extra time in class. Somehow no matter how early you showed up, it seemed that Mr. Cain had already been there for hours. The classical music on NPR was a mind-bending contrast from the CD's I was spinnin in my 84' pickup truck.

We spent many hours after school as well. Small groups in the Cyclone Room would be head-down and scribbling pages and pages worth of equations, observations and solutions to complex problems. Usually we would work together and share ideas on how to complete the task at hand. Among these kids, we would usually find a suitable answer.

The most crushing moments came for me while working on a several page written document, and coming to a point where I could continue no more. The problem was not solved, and I was stuck! I would have had an hour or maybe many involved in this one equation. After asking the other smarties, and seeing their looks of confusion at what I had created, I knew there was only one thing to do... I had to go back into the class and ask Him for help... Mr. Cain was always glad to assist, but the pain of showing my stupidity to him on paper was an ego-killer!

I remember several of these moments, I always had the same experience. EVERY SINGLE time I went to him for help, I had two pages or more worth of words, numbers and symbols written by hand. I wanted help with the last two sentences or equations where I had become stuck. I proudly showed him all the work that went into this huge mess of lead on paper and asked him for just a little boost or fix for this little issue I had run into...

EVERY SINGLE TIME I had made my mistake Waaaaaay up at the beginning. Every single time, he would look at the place on the page I was pointing, disregard that, and run his eyes hours back in time, up the sheet, to the place I started my screw-up. Aaaggghhhhh! NO!!

Humbled, Crushed and feeling stupid, I would sulk back to the booth by the windows and start all over...

You know what? When I would use his advice and do it right from the beginning, the problem would usually be Much faster, easier and more satisfying to complete than before. Even in starting over, the problem could get finished on time and turned in with a good grade.

In that world and in our financial world we are allowed to continue with our mistakes for awhile. We get to struggle along and think we're getting somewhere. It may even look, at first glance, like we are. These denials of the truth and false-identities are what Debt gives to us. Our metaphorical chemistry assignment page of life can look like we've accomplished much. A nice big house, expensive college degree, newer cars and lots of trips to the city for Stuff we Need. This is what the average American's written page looks like.

But, we are not living at a level of True Wealth. We have financial problems. Our money stresses do not stem from this month's high utility bills. The issue is not our unexpected flat tire. It's not Christmas's fault or the cost of the kids' traveling sports team.

Truth is, we've made a mistake waay back at the beginning. Our behavior pattern, our perception of money and wealth in general is Wrong. I guess I'll be just as unpopular as Mr. Cain when I tell you that you've got to start over with your ideas about money in general. We've got to go back to square one and learn new things. That is, if you ever want to get unstuck from your finances and move on to the exciting and prosperous next level.

The shining silver lining here parallels my experience with a long chemistry equation back in 1996. When you start over and get it right from the beginning, the answer to the problem comes so much Faster, Easier and More Satisfying that you forget all about the years and years of doing it the wrong way. That moment of regret from being dumb, is blown away by the Fun and Thrilling stride after stride you're taking when you know you're on the right track.

Stay tuned to my blog, check out my website http://www.truenorthffc.com/ or go to http://www.daveramsey.com/ . The truth is out there and I'd like to introduce you to it. You deserve it! You work too hard to not be enjoying the level of peace, security and generosity that you have earned. Take it from me, a debt-free kid from Ottawa High, it is absolutely worth the ego-hit to start all over and get it right.

Thanks Mr. Cain, for the chemistry and more importantly: Life Lessons!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/

Got a leaky Wallet? Bulging budget or none at all? Delapidated Debt that you're sick of living with? You are losing hard earned dollars every month! Let me show you how to spackle the cracks and firm up your financial foundation. DIY or using my professional services, either way, the best time to fix your finances is Now!