Change is f*cking hard.
And it makes sense.
As cavemen, change meant danger.
So you’re basically biologically hardwired to avoid change and stick to what feels “safe.”
(Even if it isn’t.)
Now, what do you do when it looks like your caveman brain is going to land you in the Walmart graveyard?
You trick that sumbitch.
That’s right.
You trick your stupid little caveman brain into being a good noodle.
Because ultimately your brain just wants to feel safe, get dopamine, and keep on keepin’ on.
The disconnect happens when you fall into an anxiety spiral after binge-shopping on TikTok Shop at 2 a.m.
Your brain thinks it’s being all hunter-gatherer, stocking up for winter.
But then the logic part kicks in and realizes you robbed Peter to pay Paul.
That stack of Pokemon cards isn’t going to keep you fed through the winter like a bushel of potatoes would have.
And you emptied your stores (bank account) to make caveman brain happy for five seconds.
So how do we trick the brain?
We start with some honesty.
Sit your brain down and say, “Listen you dumb fuck. You’ve been making some piss poor decisions lately, and I’m making some changes. So get ready. Because it’s going to be HARD.”
That’s called priming. And when you tell your brain to expect something to be hard, it won’t freak out like a child actor on coke when it actually is hard.
The second thing you’re going to do is set up a reward system.
Think about playing a video game.
You can do that shit for hours, because you’re constantly getting little hits of dopamine.
So we gotta do the same for your finances.
Every time you pay more than the minimum toward your debt, you get a little celebration.
Dance around, smile, laugh, enjoy some (free) entertainment, and basically just make a HUGE deal out of every small win.
Sounds dumb, but your brain will get addicted to the progress.
Speaking of which, you'll need to set some SMART goals.
Specific
Let’s say you want to save an emergency fund. Don’t just say “I want to save some extra money.
Make it specific.
“I want to save up an $1K emergency fund.”
Measurable
Kinda self-explanatory if we’re honest.
That’s the “$1K” part of the example.
As long as you can measure how close you are to your goal and track your progress, you're gold.
Achievable
Set yourself up for success okay?
Don’t try to make a million dollars in a month. It’s not likely to happen.
(Good for you if it is…)
Make sure the goal you set is mathematically viable.
Relevant
This goal should mean something to you, and help you along a bigger journey.
Using the $1K emergency fund example, that would be VERY relevant if you’ve never saved any money before and it’s your first step toward financial responsibility.
But if you already have a few grand in the bank, or you’re drowning in debt, maybe start somewhere else.
Time-bound
You need a deadline.
Otherwise it won’t get done.
Most credit cards have debt payoff calculators, and I trust you can do some remedial math.
Just make sure you calculate a reasonable timeline for yourself.
And that’s pretty much all it takes to trick your idiot brain into becoming a financial savant.
(That might be a tad hyperbolic, but whatever.)
TLDR: Change is hard.
There’s some trial and error, and that takes a while.
It’s also uncomfortable… but the benefits are permanent.
And every person I've had on Financial Audit who successfully turned their finances around had to accept change.
They had to stop doing the stupid sh*t that got them into debt in the first place.
They had to start making boring, responsible decisions.
And guess what? None of them regret it.
Because having money in the bank, being debt-free, and not stressed about bills? That feels a hell of a lot better than whatever temporary pleasure they gave up.
Rewiring your brain is hard.
Being broke is hard.
Choose your hard.
Taquitos,
Caleb “Caveman” Hammer
P.S. Quick announcement!
On Saturday, June 27th, we’re going LIVE at 1PM CST, for a 4-hour Hammer Elite extravaganza!
We’ll be doing fan favorites like Fat&Fatter, Audit Breakdown, Audit Update, Dating Audit, but filmed LIVE for your viewing pleasure.
I’ll be telling you more about it throughout the week, but we’ve got lots of surprises planned, so you’re not gonna want to miss it.
If you wanna watch, we’ll be streaming on YouTube and the Hammer Elite app.
The first half is FREE, but the best parts are gonna be just for Elite members.
Not a member of Elite yet? You can still get 30% OFF an annual plan of the Hammer Elite app until the end of this month.
Click here to join.
Or enjoy half the Elite Day on June 27th for free HERE.
Either way, I hope to see you there.
Talk soon!
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