3 Financial Lessons from Flywheel
3 Financial Lessons from Flywheel
I’m someone who needs to workout; otherwise I will weigh over 200 pounds again. In an effort to cut unnecessary costs, I cancelled my gym membership over a year ago; and I predominantly workout from home. In late February, though, I visited a friend of mine in Florida and she invited me as her guest to a Flywheel class; and it was life changing for me. Flywheel not only gave me one of the best workouts I’ve had in a long time, but it also inspired me mentally and professionally.When I returned home, I found a Flywheel studio about 20 minutes from my home; and now I attend 2-3 classes there a week depending on my schedule. The classes are not helping me keep my recreation budget low; however, the multitude of benefits I receive from attending them, make the additional cost worth it to me.
Lesson #1 – Spend money on what matters
As a financial trainer, I work hard to help my clients identify unnecessary or egregious costs in their monthly budgets; however, unless they are in dire straits, I don’t advise cutting everything out of their lives. I encourage my clients to spend money on what’s important to them and cut out everything that keeps them away from enjoying the important things in life.For me, staying healthy is an important goal, and Flywheel helps me not only stay physically healthy but mentally healthy as well. I view my classes as not only a physical workout but also a mental one. I’ve spent money on therapists and mental health professionals over the years, but no one makes me process my thoughts or feel better than a 45 minute Flywheel class does. It’s an additional cost to my monthly budget, but my physical and mental health matter to me.A few weeks back, I felt exhausted for a number of reasons and said to myself that I would not push my Flywheel ride on a Saturday morning. The next week, I decided to get back in the saddle and try to break my all-time best record for the class and I did.
Lesson #2 – Never Coast
Flywheel stores have t-shirts and gear everywhere with the saying “Never Coast,” and it wasn’t until I experienced the difference between coasting and not that I understood what they meant. It’s so easy to take the easy way out and rationalize a break, especially when we’re pursuing an aggressive financial goal; however, coasting is not the answer. It may feel good to take a break for a period of time; however, nothing feels better than achieving a difficult goal or making a big change in your life.I rationalized to myself that I needed the break to coast, but the truth is that I really could have pushed myself that morning and I missed an opportunity to do something bigger and better. It’s difficult to get through a class when you’re pushing your limits, but not impossible.Honestly, for a solid 30 minutes, I wonder what the hell I’m doing and want to get off the bike and go home; however, when I push through those times, the feeling at the end is more than worth the pain in the middle. It’s difficult to stay focused on a big financial goal, but I guarantee you that the feeling you will get at the end of it will be more than worth the pain of working towards it.
Lesson # 3 – Sometimes we need someone else to motivate us
For the past few years, I work out from my home gym or walk near my home and I rely on me, perhaps Netflix and some music to inspire me to get through the workout; however, sometimes this isn’t enough. There have been many mornings where I opted for the snooze button rather than getting up and working out. After all, my bike at home is not going to get mad at me. However, when I sign up for a Flywheel class, I know I have to make it; otherwise I will lose my money.Beyond the money, though, I find many of the Flywheel instructors incredibly motivating; two in particular are Johnnie and Sergei. For some reason, they have the ability to say exactly what I need to hear to push me to try something harder or achieve something more. The riders around me also motivate me as I see their results during class. If they can do it, so can I!Some of us can figure out our money situation on our own, but sometimes we need help to get financially healthy; and if you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it. I know that for many of my clients, having me as a part of their financial journey is a big key to their success. The help that you ask for could mean the difference between financial failure and success.