Four employer and church groups completed the STAFF web-based financial coaching program. At the end of each session, we check in and see what the participants had to say about the benefits they received from going through the course.
Many of you have heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This idea suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. We created a Hierarchy of Financial Needs based on the feedback we received.
Assuming we have our basic needs met, there are three major areas that define our financial lives based on those that have graduated from the STAFF course. These areas build on each other and we call them the three “M’s
- Makeup- this is your identity. It is important that we understand ourselves better and those around us. If communication and relationships are strained, it is very difficult to move up the pyramid.
Graduates of the STAFF program indicated understanding their financial personality helped them identify spending, debt, savings habits and how to make important changes. It also helped with communication with their spouse (if married) and kids. Those that completed the course recognized their unique strengths and how to be confident when making financial decisions or communicating with others.
Do you ask yourself these questions?
– Why do I keep doing ____________ financially?
– Why does my spouse keep doing ___________ financially?
“Know thyself” is a phrase first penned by Socrates. He believed that self-knowledge was important in order to find peace and direction. Romans talks about the importance of understanding our God-given gifts and that each gift (each of us) has a unique function. Understanding these gifts and our financial personality is key and our first step to moving forward financially. Humans are naturally curious. Once we understand the “why”, we can start to focus on the “what”.
- Management- this is the regular handling, direction, and focus on our financial decisions. This is the time that we can make real strides in our money management from month to month.
STAFF graduates stated they were able to learn how to reduce their debt, set up an emergency savings plan and complete a monthly spending plan. Management is moving away from the paycheck to paycheck mentality and becoming proactive rather than reactive.
Monetary decisions are inter-related. Ever notice how one decision begins to impact other areas of your financial life. I worked with one couple recently that focused on setting up an emergency savings account. This caused them to be more intentional in their giving to others, more mindful of debt and the negative consequences, and more in charge of their spending from month to month.
- Mission- Now this is the fun part…this has to do with who you are and where you want to go. This is your purpose fueled by a strong conviction.
STAFF graduates listed goal setting as a key part of their financial plan as it helped quantify their mission for the short, medium, and long term. Most of us have a vague idea of our goals but have never really sat down and mapped those out. According to a study by Dr. Gail Matthews, we are all 42% more likely to achieve our goals just by writing them down.
Secondly, other STAFF graduates discussed the course providing a foundation for additional education and setting the groundwork to starting a new business. Understanding ourselves and managing our money proactively allows us added opportunities to pursue our mission.
The Storing Treasures Mission is simple- “Discovering your Financial Personality inspires progress”. Financially, progress begins with just one small step.