Living paycheck to paycheck is never something any little boy and girl dreams of when they look to adulthood. It’s not even the situation that we, as adults, hope for. So how do you position yourself to thrive and stop simply surviving?
If you were to look up advice for making the most of your dollars, you’d surely find tactics about how to make and follow a budget. You’d discover information about saving more and spending less, cutting coupons and taking advantage of BOGO promotions. We’re adults, we all understand the tricks to making it work financially.
But do we know the steps needed to take it to the next level?
1. Have high standards.
Success in anything in life takes dedication and the expectation that your best effort is needed. You have to hold yourself accountable while knowing that the work you’re putting forth is moving you towards the things you deserve. You deserve to achieve your dreams. You deserve the opportunity to provide the best for yourself. Believe that and work for that.
2. Be forward thinking.
Breaking the loop and moving away from survival mode takes a future-focused mindset. When you’re just looking at today, all you’ll see is what needs to be taken care of now; you can’t see what is on the horizon or what moves will need to be made to set yourself up for prosperity. You need to shift your thinking to see the effects of the decisions you’re making now.
3. Set yourself up for success.
Once you’ve changed your perspective toward the road ahead and not the two feet you’re standing on, you’ve established a pattern that will pay off later. You’ve made an investment in your future. We’ve heard the old adage, “You reap what you sow.” Sow success. Sow financial stability. Sow the seeds of comfort. Establish your path now as one that is moving toward success.
4. Go back to school.
One of the better ways to end the cycle and to stop living paycheck to paycheck is to advance your education. Earning your degree brings together all the previous points. High standards, check. Forward thinking, check. Setting yourself up for success, double check.
Studies and reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics have shown time and time again that employees with a bachelor’s degree have a higher earning potential than those without. Beyond the financial benefit, there is increased job stability. We know that professional advancement often coincides with hard work and the knowledge to back it up.
So why don’t you break free of the prison of living paycheck to paycheck? At SNU, we have numerous degree options and provide flexibility with on-campus and online courses. Why just survive when you can thrive?
