When I was 44 I raced (if you can call it that) in a sprint triathlon.

5 months before, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

This is a lesson on taking small, achievable steps.

My Story:

I had a drowning incident when I was young. Maybe that's why I always hated the water. Because of some lessons later, in middle school, I could jump in the water, tread (kinda) and do a back float.

To prepare for the race, I signed up for a private swimming lesson. It was a disaster.

But while I was at the pool, I noticed someone using flash cards and gliding through the water back and forth, like a fish. I asked what they were doing and he said it was Total Immersion.

It’s a technique that emphasizes form over speed.

I got the DVR (yep) and went through the program on my own. Once summer arrived, I hired a TI coach to accelerate my learning and prepare me for the race.

My progress was slow and steady--without fear, and with a sense of accomplishment. Each improvement motivated me further. And what I could do was amazing when you consider where I started!

One obstacle I had to overcome was swimming in open water.

Despite being in a wet suit, this was terrifying. I stayed as close to the beach rope at the reservoir as I could and tried to apply my newfound skills in this environment. Panicked many times. Until...

A breakthrough. I managed to relax into it, just applying my skills in the pool, and it happened! I was going from one side of the beach to the other, without effort.

And the race! I wasn't that fast (my coach told me to jump in delayed, after the other swimmers and the water was calmer). But I didn't panic (no canoe rescue for me 😅). And because I was calm, I had plenty of energy to perform well on the bike and run.

Such a happy day for me. And an accomplishment.

This story can apply to so many things in our lives. Those small, achievable steps over time can transform our lives.

And so, of course I have to make the plug here for your financial lives. If it feels scary and you don't even want to jump in, I get it. Or if you're trying, but it feels like you're drowning, get out for a moment. Take a breath. Reevaluate your approach. Maybe it's not the traditional approach that you need. Maybe it's something else, like my swimming technique. Find something that works for you.

What I have for you includes small, achievable steps, that you can do on your own. And you don't even have to get wet. But you do have to work out! Here is my new, free resource of Financial Freedom Workouts where you'll get weekly workouts you can take action on, to get financially fit.

Hope to see you in the gym (and pool if you like). Sign up here to learn new things and feel the accomplishment I felt!