I must say that I’m amazed at how many people sit on the sidelines when it comes to personal finance. I talk to so many people who tell me how and what to do as far as their finances are concerned, yet for some reason they don’t do it. There are so many articles out there in the mainstream financial media as well as on financial blogs such as this one that it’s easier than ever to find good advice and how to put things in order. Interestingly to note however, is how many people read all this and are still struggling financially.

If you’re struggling with debt, there is plenty of information out there showing you how to get rid of it. You can also find countless tips on frugality. None of this will help you though if you don’t put any of it into practice. Reading posts and continuing to eat out frequently won’t improve your situation. Talking about the next greatest investment with a co-worker and then only paying the minimums on your credit cards also won’t help.

Perhaps you’re looking to retire soon, or maybe a little early. I’m sure you’ve read posts about various retirement accounts including Roth IRAs, 401Ks and the like. I’ve talked with countless people who can tell me just about anything you want to know about these accounts, but they still only “have plans” to open them at some point in the future. A common phrase I hear is they’ll do it “as soon as (such and such)…”

My advice to you is to stop standing on the sidelines of your financial future. Sure you have a chance to lose if you get in the game, but you have no chance of winning if you never play. There are many aspects to the game of personal finance, and you can’t begin knowing everything about each of them. You can’t afford to wait until you have all the information or know exactly what to do. There are some things that you just need to learn by doing. It’s alright to make a mistake.

So continue to read financial articles (especially from this blog) and learn as much as you can, but more importantly, start putting some of the advice into practice. It’s a whole lot more fun (and profitable) to be in the game than it is to stand on the sidelines watching everyone else.

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