Budget Kung Fu

Many years ago, I watched a movie called The Forbidden Kingdom. In it, a teenager who loves kung fu movies is assaulted by some thugs who rob the store he works at. Toward the end of the robbery, the teenager finds himself pulled into ancient China with a quest. He has two guides, played by Jackie Chan and Jet Li, to help him on his quest.

What I remember most about the movie, besides how fun it was to me, was a quote that Jackie Chan's character has. He states that everyone can have kung fu, as it is a mastery of one's self or one's chosen craft. An artist can have kung fu. A musician can have kung fu.

Believe it or not, you can have kung fu too. Yours can be with your budget and money habits.

As in many movies with a quest, the hero goes through training to prepare for the hardships ahead. The montage shows mistakes and correction (sometimes painfully) at the hands of the teachers. Over time, through the mistakes, the hero gains mastery over his skills and is able to then fight and hold his own.

If you are having struggles sticking to a budget and building strong habits for tracking your spending and setting goals, perhaps you are still in your own training regimen. Making mistakes and enduring the consequences, but moving forward nonetheless.

Of course, the movie does end well, and I won't spoil it for you here. Suffice it to say the hero's training, even his mistakes, serve to bring him to the place he ends the film at. Strong, capable, and more confident than ever before.

As you move into this Memorial Day weekend, I encourage you to not be discouraged at any of the pain you feel from mistakes you make as you practice budgeting. Get back up and try again. Then again. Then again. Then again. With intentional effort forward, I'm confident you will find yourself stronger, more capable, and more self-confident in your plan and decisions than you ever were before.

You may even find new things and be able to show or teach me a thing or two!