Triathletes are typically goal-oriented folks with strong work ethics and a mindset that helps endure difficult things. You choose to push yourself and achieve the best that you can to the point that “DNF” is not a term to be used in polite company.
That withstanding, could the pursuit of “more” and “faster” have a point of diminishing return?
Absolutely.
Most of us have a certain threshold that once we go beyond that level of training, injuries happen more frequently and chronic fatigue begins to settle in. Even if I had a week with no other obligations, I am not just going to train 25 hours in that week.
I know that for me 8-10 hours a week is a sweet spot unless I am training for a specific race. Even then, weeks above 14 hours need to be monitored very closely.
Your finances are very similar.
At some point, you need to know how much is enough. For example, some people feel good about saving 10% of their income while others think they are a failure if they aren’t saving over 50%.
Does that make either of them right/wrong?
No.
Everyone’s situation is different — which means their decision on what is enough has everything to do with what their goals are and where they stand in relation to those goals.
Consider how much money you need to retire.
When you read an article that says you need to have $2 million to retire comfortably and shortly after you see another one that says you need at least $5 million, you likely walk away confused.
If I told you that both numbers could be the “right” number for different people at different times, that probably doesn’t help much either.
Which is why, in an effort to help triathletes understand how much they need to have in financial resources, I’ve created a worksheet and walk-through video to (hopefully) make sense of it all.
In it, we look at what it takes to build the Financial Independence Money Machine that is right for you. Through this process, my goal is to help you address questions like:
- How much would I need to be financially independent today after taxes?
- How much would I need to be financially independent today before taxes?
- Even if I’m not financially independent today, but want to be someday — how much would I need in the future before taxes?
Ideally, by going through this educational exercise, you will develop a better understanding of your goals and know how much is “enough” for you.
If you are ahead of pace for your goals, I hope you will feel more confident in “slowing down” and enjoying life. Conversely, if you are behind pace for your goal, I hope you will better understand what you can improve upon.
If you have any questions or would like to see something specific covered in a future post/video, please reach out to me at info@wallerfc.com.
