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Why financial tension is a GOOD thing

Mar 26

Tension is what makes us take action. It’s the urgency that we feel when we need to get something done.

If there isn’t enough tension, we “push it off” and don’t do anything.

With finances, for example, we feel tension when we see a larger than expected credit card bill or a line of credit that just keeps on going up. We know we need to change. But our first gut reaction is to run away from the tension — to get rid of it. So we bail ourselves out by consolidating our debts, refinancing our mortgages, or asking a wealthier family member for a loan. And the debt cycle continues because we got rid of the tension but never really changed our financial behaviors.

Let me ask you: What if we didn’t seek to mute our tension, but ran towards it?

In other words, instead of procrastinating, what if we:

  • Started to save for unexpected expenses?
  • Came up with a solid plan to pay off our debt?
  • Figured out a way to get smart with our money?

Seth Godin put it best when he said: “When you encounter the tension of now, caused by the urgency of action, veer toward more tension, not less now.”

How will your life be different in ten or fifteen years from now, if you started to take action and embraced your financial tension today?

Tell me in the comments below.

About The Author

Hi, I'm Avraham (pronounced Av-Rum.) I'm a reformed spender, financial coach, and the founder of Avraham Byers Financial (I'm better with money than coming up with company names.) In a funny and non-preachy way, I teach people how to take control of their finances without giving up their smoked butterscotch lattes.

4 Comments

  1. Henry
    March 27, 2018 at 5:22 pm ·

    Just thinking about getting started on my finances scares me. I always feel the tension. Avraham you are right when you said that we run away from the tension. I do it all the time. If I started to embrace my financial tension and took action I am sure that I would be way better off in ten years from now. I can not help but to think if I took action 10 years ago how much different my financial life would be today. Thank you Avraham for writing this.

    • Avraham Byers
      March 27, 2018 at 5:23 pm ·

      Thanks for your honesty, Henry.

  2. Rochelle
    March 27, 2018 at 8:18 pm ·

    Hey Ave,

    Great thought provoker – as usual!

    I just noticed the pronunciation of your name. Has it always been there??

    Anyway….I was pronouncing it wrong (in my head, so not critical, but I like to get things right). I was saying it like it rhymes with Abraham, which I’m sure you’ve encountered since you were in the womb.

    So for clarity, is it with a long A, like Abe (or Ave), or short A like Adam?

    Thanks for the financial ‘tension’ this morning, too!

    Thanks, man. Avraman..(oh I slay me)

    Your friend in Huntington Beach, Ca
    Rochelle

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