You Can't Pet a Cat and a Dog at the Same Time 🐱🐶
Hey friend,
Quick question: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
You can like BOTH. I'm not asking you to choose sides in the great pet debate.
But here's the thing—when it comes down to it, you always favor one over the other.
And the same thing happens with life. With your time. With your money.
There's no such thing as total balance.
The Ice Cream Incident
Let me tell you what happened to me the other day.
I was writing—totally in the zone, words flowing, everything clicking. And then all of a sudden, my kid walks into the room holding an entire tub of ice cream with a spoon.
I look up. "Why did you think it was okay to eat the whole thing?"
They look at me confused. "I just asked you and you said I could eat the whole thing."
Listen. I'm sure I am not liable for the things I say yes to when I'm writing. 😂
But here's the real lesson: I thought I was doing both. I thought I was writing AND being present for my kid.
I wasn't. I was half doing both and fully doing neither.
My kid didn't get my full attention. And my writing got interrupted anyway.
You can't split your focus and expect great results in either area.
The Same Thing Happens With Your Money
You can't go on shopping sprees and build up savings.
You can't watch a TV show and have an in-depth conversation with your kid.
You can't pay off debt aggressively while also maxing out retirement and building a six-month emergency fund.
I mean, you CAN try. But you'll make slow progress everywhere and feel frustrated that nothing's really moving.
Choose your focus. Go after it. THEN go for the next thing.
But What If I Have Two Goals?
I get it. Sometimes life throws you two things that both feel urgent.
Like taxes and savings. Or debt payoff and an emergency fund.
Here's what I tell my clients: There are times you have to work two goals at a time. But ultimately, one needs to win.
Taxes? They will ALWAYS win. The IRS doesn't care about your other goals.
Emergency fund vs. debt? Pick one to hit HARD. The other can get a smaller amount, but don't try to split 50/50. You'll just spin your wheels.
One goal gets your focus. The other gets what's left.
The Shame Game
I know what you're thinking: "But Jenny, if I focus on paying off debt, I'm not saving. If I focus on my business, I'm not giving my kids enough attention. If I focus on one thing, I'm failing at everything else."
Stop.
Pressing pause on one thing to accomplish another shouldn't trigger the shame game.
You will get to all the things. Just go in order of importance.
Right now, maybe it's debt. Next year, maybe it's savings. In five years, maybe it's investing aggressively for retirement.
Seasons change. Priorities shift. That's NORMAL.
You're not failing at the things you're not focused on right now. You're being strategic about the thing that matters MOST right now.
So What Should YOU Focus On?
Here's your assignment this week:
Make a priority list.
Write down all the financial goals you're juggling. All the things competing for your attention and your dollars.
Then number them. 1, 2, 3, 4...
What HAS to happen first? That's your #1. That's where your energy goes. That's where your extra dollars go.
Everything else? It either gets a small, sustainable amount OR it waits its turn.
Stop trying to do everything at once. Stop splitting your focus and wondering why nothing's moving.
Pick ONE thing. Go hard. Make progress. THEN move to the next.
You'll get so much further so much faster.
Trust me on this.
Cheering for you always,
Jenny 💙
P.S. What's your #1 priority right now? Hit reply and tell me. And if you're not sure what should be first, let's talk about it. Sometimes you just need someone to help you see what matters most. I'm here for you! 🎯
P.P.S. Speaking of priorities… my friend Cyndi and her husband Brian are partnering with Both Hands to help raise funds for adoption expenses. If supporting families and helping bring kids home is something on your heart, I’d love for you to check out their story and consider donating. Every little bit helps.
See you next week!
