It’s a battle?
What do you know about a standard boxer’s ready-stance?
- Fists close to your cheeks but below your eyes, so you can protect your face but still see clearly
- Elbows tucked in to leave less of your midsection exposed
- Legs at shoulder-width, front foot facing your opponent, so you’re balanced but able to move quickly
- Whole body turned 45 degrees away from your opponent, so you’re a smaller target
Seems simple but this stance is takes practice to master. So why are we telling you all this, and what does it have to do with smart money skills?
Stay in Your Money Stance
Because you also need a ready-stance for protecting your money. We’ll call it your Money Stance, and it’s an important money skill. There are many similarities between a proper boxing stance and a healthy relationship with money:
- You need to protect your financial well-being
- It’s important to be able to see the whole picture
- You’ve got to maintain good balance between spending and saving
- You need to be able to move quickly to seize opportunities
People with a proper money stance don’t get stuck in debt.
The power of the money stance
Your money stance is a physical way to think about getting into position to make smart money decisions. The boxing stance gives you a great sense of control, agility, balance, strength, and the ability to see everything in front of you—opportunities as well as dangers.
Whenever you have to make a money decision, getting into your money stance will give you the same power and control.
QUOTABLE
Happiness is not something ready made.
It comes from your own actions.
-Dalai Lama
Good money offense
Let’s carry this metaphor a little further.
When you’re in your money stance, think of a purchase or an investment as the equivalent of throwing a punch—going on the offensive with your money.
Because you’ve aggressively saved and protected your money, you’ll be in a position to take advantage of an opportunity—maybe a great deal on your first car. Or, as you get older when you’ve mastered this money skill, maybe an undervalued stock or a business deal or a piece of property.
Related Concept
In Dodge the Ad Barrage you can learn how to tell if you really want something or if an advertiser just made you think you did.
The money stance habit
We want you to build your financial literacy by developing the habit of getting into your money stance before any significant money decision.
Picture the boxer and ask yourself questions like, “Does this decision make sense from my money stance?” Or, “Will this purchase leave me off-balance?” Or, “Are there any expenses coming up that I need to be prepared to block?”
With your money savvy fists up, you’ll be able to say, “Nice try, advertising folks. But you’re not manipulating me into buying your stuff.” When your feet are firmly planted on the ground and in boxing-ready mode, you’ll be able to say, “Yeah, I can see my whole money picture, and I’m perfectly in balance with spending and saving. So I can buy this and not worry about an expense knocking me over.”
POP QUIZ
What is a money stance?
A money stance is a money skill concept gets you into position to make smart money decisions.
It takes practice
Just like the boxer’s stance, your skill at putting yourself in the money stance will take practice.
We’ve talked a lot about financial principles. And coming up we’ll show you lots of tools and tips for putting it all into action.
But to make the most of your finances, you’ll want to practice, practice, practice until it all becomes reflex.
If our analogy has you fired up, not only to stay in you money stance, but also to take up boxing, here’s a quick-start package.