Status Quo Should Not Be a Goal
Status Quo for My Clients
I recently met with a couple for their one year review, and I was curious how they felt about their year of financial management. This couple purchased a plan from me where we only meet annually, so I had not seen them since we put their plan in place last November. After I left the meeting, I had a strong sense of déjà vu, and I wondered if they felt the same way.Despite the fact that a year had passed, this couple had not changed a whole lot about the way that they managed their money and made financial decisions. In particular, they had not implemented a number of best practices that we discussed, and declared that they would do so this time around.
Do Your Finances Feel Like Deja Vu?
As I reflected on the meeting, I wondered how many of us live in a constant state of status quo just as this couple does, and how many of us have no idea that we are just repeating the same behaviors over and over again.According to Webster’s dictionary, status quo refers to the existing state of affairs, and from my perspective, it only makes sense to maintain a status quo when we feel as though we are doing everything right and there is no room for improvement. If this is the case, when is the status quo ever acceptable? I would argue that the status quo is never acceptable and we should constantly rebel against remaining in it.
My Fight Against the Status Quo
For brief periods in my life, I have maintained the status quo; however, these times always seem to end in a period of discontent as I realize that I have not made much progress toward my long term goals. When we remain in status quo, we don’t make progress. It’s as though we are living in a continual state of purgatory.Just recently I realized that my company was starting to maintain a continual state of affairs, and I took the time to analyze my progress and put a plan in place to move the company forward. I could easily have left my company where it was; however, I am sure a few years from now, I would have kicked myself for maintaining the status quo.
Status quo is an existing state of affairs; however, it should not become our permanent state of affairs.
If You Do Nothing - Nothing Will Change
This couple that I met with was disappointed in the fact that they had not progressed much financially over the past year; however, I don’t know how they could have been too upset when they didn’t make any efforts to change their status quo. If we continue to do the bare minimum and make only small changes, we will only get small results.It is uncomfortable to change from the status quo, after all, doing the same thing over and over again is natural and provides us with a nice sense of normalcy, and if normal and consistency is your life goal, then by all means, sit back and do not take any action in your life. However, if you want something greater in your life, then you have to push yourself to uncomfortable levels.
Make Yourself Uncomfortable
This couple needs to build their businesses and ask for more client work. This is something that makes them uncomfortable; however, it’s the only way they will have the money they want to achieve the goals they have in life. I need to make big changes to my business. It’s going to make me uncomfortable and take time and energy; however, it will move me to the next place I need to get to.We are coming up on the end of the year, so it’s time to reflect back on what you accomplished this year, and if you are in about the same spot as you were last year, you need to ask yourself what you did to break out of the status quo.If you didn’t change much, then you can’t expect to see change. As you think about 2015, I urge you to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and move out of the status quo. Don’t let it be your destination, it’s just a stop along the way.Image Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.Net Stuart Miles