Financial Independence Goes Hockey - Sis

I have always loved sports. Let me correct that statement a little, I have always loved to WATCH sports. The fact is, I am short, slow and a little chunky. I tried to play sports growing up and in highschool but the facts were, my body is just not one of an athlete. My favorite sport is hockey. I love everything about the game. I love to follow my team, watch their games, and the wear their logo. Naturally I was watching a game the other day and I was getting really frustrated at my team. I mean it was playoff hockey and we were on the powerplay. They had absolutely no offensive. Shoot the puck, that is how you score and win games. During the next commercial break I pulled out my phone and was reading facebook posts on a financial independence group. I thought, these people are really on the offensive side of their money. They are aggressively shooting pucks at their goals. Then it came to me, life is like a game of hockey.

The more shots on goal you take the better chance you have of scoring.

Think of each puck as a tool to get you to your goals. If you only take one shot on net, for example if you use your employee match for your 401K then your chances of scoring are very low. Yes, with great defense and a well played game, you can still have a successful outcome but it’s sure going to be a heck of a lot harder and longer game. You need to start a ROTH, create a budget, start a side hustle, downsize and all the other tools out there together. Become an offensive player. Form plays, use your teammates, go for rebounds and think strategy. That is how you score the game winning goal.

Defense wins championships

I had a basketball coach tell our team this once. You have to protect your net and support your goalie. As much as high scoring games are fun, in the end it can come down to one goal, one play. The defensemen’s jobs are to block shots, poke check pucks and support the goalie. This includes living a frugal life, below what we are pulling in monthly, strategize credit cards for optimal rewards, and using tax advantage retirement account. If the other team scores, we have an emergency fund to protect us and sometimes gameplay changes.

Some games you win and some games you loose, but what kind of team do you want to be? A season is not just one game. It takes persistence and strategy. It takes hard work and dedication. Think of your life. What kind of team strategy do you have in place? What trades are you willing to make and players are you willing to lose? Most importantly don’t forget the love of the game because in the end it’s all about having fun and enjoying your time.

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