What’s Working Against You?
Every financial problem isn’t a mistake. But every problem is something that quietly pulls resources away from the life you’re trying to build.
This week, we’re asking a harder question.
What’s working against me?
I know.
The word problems sounds negative.
Maybe even a little judgmental.
That’s not how I mean it.
Most of the things we’ll talk about this week were purchased with good intentions.
You wanted convenience.
Comfort.
Entertainment.
Transportation.
A nicer place to live.
None of those are bad.
But if something is quietly pulling resources away from the life you’re trying to build...
it’s become a problem.
Not because you bought it.
Because it’s working against you.
Here’s how I’d define it:
Problems consume resources without moving your life forward.
Sometimes those resources are money.
Sometimes they’re time.
Sometimes they’re attention.
Often, they’re all three.
The Bucket
Imagine trying to fill a bucket with water.
You keep pouring more in.
But the bucket has holes.
You could work longer.
Earn more.
Pick up another side hustle.
Or...
You could patch the leaks.
That’s what this week is about.
Not becoming more frugal.
Not depriving yourself.
Simply stopping resources from flowing toward things that no longer matter.
Forgotten subscriptions.
Unused memberships.
Monthly fees you stopped noticing years ago.
Habits that no longer reflect the person you’re trying to become.
None of these make you a bad person.
They’re simply resources flowing in the wrong direction.
The Most Expensive Problem
Some problems are bigger than others.
High-interest debt is usually the biggest one.
Here’s why.
Interest is a recurring charge for a decision you’ve already made.
Every month you carry a balance, you’re paying for the past instead of building the future.
That payment limits what the same money could have done instead.
It could have been saved.
Invested.
Used to create experiences.
Or simply given you a little more breathing room.
Paying off high-interest debt isn’t about punishment.
It’s about removing the biggest leak in the bucket.
Until it’s gone, everything else you do becomes a little harder.
So...Does the Coffee Matter?
People love debating small purchases.
The daily latte.
The burrito.
The streaming service.
The subscription box.
Some financial experts will tell you those things don’t matter.
And often, they’re right.
If your priorities are funded...
If you’re saving for retirement...
If you have a buffer...
If your financial foundation is solid...
Then the coffee probably doesn’t matter.
Enjoy it.
But if you’re living paycheck to paycheck...
Or carrying high-interest debt...
Or constantly wondering where the money went...
Then those same recurring purchases deserve another look.
The issue was never the coffee.
The issue is whether your financial bucket already has holes.
When the foundation is solid, small pleasures are exactly that—pleasures.
When the foundation is cracked, they become one more thing working against you.
That’s why we started this series with inventory.
Financial advice depends on where you are.
This Week’s Exercise
Open your bank statement and your credit card statement from the past month.
Highlight every recurring payment.
Now ask three questions about each one.
Do I still use this?
Would I buy it again today?
Does it support one of my priorities?
If the answer is no...
Why is it still there?
Last week, we decided what deserves to stay.
This week, we’re deciding what no longer serves us.
One More Thought
Notice what we’re not doing.
We’re not eliminating joy.
We’re making room for it.
Every dollar spent solving yesterday’s problems is a dollar that can’t support tomorrow’s passions.
One thing I’d ask you to remember before next week:
Don’t be surprised if some of today’s “problems” look different after the next exercise.
That’s normal.
Clarity has a way of changing what we see.
Something that feels like a problem today may turn out to be one of your deepest passions.
And something you assumed was essential may quietly lose its place.
That’s not inconsistency.
That’s learning.
Next week, we’ll talk about the things that make life richer.
Not your priorities.
Not your problems.
Your passions.