Over the past few weeks I’ve been training for a triathlon without a coach. Previously I have employed the guidance of a coach for similar events. This time round I haven’t due to various reasons; it doesn’t fit in the budget, finding a new coach is too hard right now, I can do this on my own anyway. That last reason really got me; I’ve trained for a triathlon before so I know what is required.

These justifications have been reinforced by the triathlon being a ‘casual’ team event. However, being naturally competitive, I secretly want to smash my PB.

So in the past five weeks, how many weeks have I nailed my “training plan”? None. There is not one single week that I have accomplished every session I set out to do.

When I dissect this, the reasons why are pretty obvious. There’s no one to be accountable to, as I don’t have a coach checking my results. I haven’t promised my team I’ll smash my PB, so if I don’t, they wont be let down. As I didn’t pay for my entry, I don’t have the natural incentive of loss aversion in play. It has also become apparent to me that having information (like what a training program involves) does not equal outcomes (bike time PB).

American entrepreneur Derek Sivers summed it up brilliantly:

“if more information were the answer, we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs”.

In the financial world the same applies. Type ‘budgeting’ or ‘savings tips’ into Google and you will find endless information. How many people translate this information into action though? I know I didn’t, in both finance and fitness until I got a coach.

What is it in your life you need more accountability and action in? Seek out those coaches and invest in yourself to achieve goals. When you smash your PB, save a house deposit or pay off your debt, you will be basking in the glory of that achievement. The justifications holding you back from seeking assistance will seem insignificant in comparison.

If you have any fabulous triathlon coaches to recommend, please get in touch. Equally if you need help turning financial goals into action, we’d love to hear from you.

– Cat Jansen