The Power of Taking Decisive Action:

Build the Financial Future You Want

Most people don’t plan for the future they want.

They accept the future they get.

It’s a truth I saw play out over and over again during my time as an assessor and Financial Information Services Officer at Centrelink.

Day in, day out, I sat across from everyday Australians who were doing their best… but had never been taught how to build a solid financial plan.

Many were now facing situations they never intended, they lost their job, or they had an accident or illness… or even retirement crept up on them… but that didn’t make them any less real.

Their options were limited.

The sense of regret was often just beneath the surface.

But every now and then, I’d meet someone who stood out.

Someone who wasn’t necessarily earning more—but had made different decisions.

They had a plan. They had savings. They had structure.

And, most importantly, they had started taking decisive action years earlier.

That’s what made all the difference.

Why Most People Stay Stuck

If you’re reading this, you probably already know that no one’s coming to rescue you financially.

There’s no magic button. No politician, program, or pension is going to create the life you want to live.

Still, most people delay taking action. Why?

Because it’s easier to avoid the discomfort of change than to face the discomfort of regret… until it’s too late.

They:

• Keep saying “I’ll sort it out later”
• Wait for the perfect time
• Tell themselves they don’t earn enough to get ahead
• Hope that something will change—without changing anything themselves

And while they wait, years go by.

The Hardest Lesson: A Personal Story

This lesson became even more real for me five months ago.

One of my cousins—44 years old—was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.

A young father with a 15-month-old daughter. A husband. A teacher, loved and respected… A good man.

He had done some of the right things… paid off part of his home, built a modest nest egg, but he hadn’t taken all the steps.

He didn’t have life insurance. He hadn’t finalised a plan to take care of his family if something happened to him.

Lest week, we had our last conversation. Cance took him early yesterday morning.

He told me his biggest regret wasn’t dying.

It was not doing the things he knew he should have done while he was alive.

It wasn’t the things he tried and failed at.

It was the things he never gave himself a chance to try.

The decisions he put off. The plans he never finished. The small actions he thought he’d get to later.

Financial Independence Starts with Daily Decisions

The people I’ve seen succeed—whether they’re investors, business owners, or full-time workers carving out a better future—have one thing in common:

They take daily, decisive actions.

Not always big ones.

Just small, consistent, productive steps that move them forward. That might mean:

• Tracking their income and spending
• Learning a new skill—like trading, budgeting, or investing
• Making sacrifices today for greater freedom tomorrow
• Setting up a basic safety net (like insurance, wills, and super strategies)
• Saying no to lifestyle inflation, and yes to long-term gain

Most of these actions aren’t exciting.

They’re not the sort of things that make headlines or go viral. But they compound over time.

And that’s what financial independence really is. Not luck. Not timing.

Just steady, smart, intentional effort.

Regret Hurts More Than Discipline

There’s a saying that goes:

“You can choose the pain of discipline… or the pain of regret.”

I’ve felt both. I’ve seen both in the lives of others. And I can tell you—regret hurts more.

It’s one thing to fail after trying. It’s another thing to realise you never even gave yourself a real chance.

If you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s… or even older—it’s not too late.

But it does mean your window is shorter than it was 10 years ago.

That’s reality. And reality rewards action, not hope.

Start With What You Can Control

The future feels overwhelming when you look at everything all at once. So don’t.

Start small. Start with one decision. One change.

Ask yourself:

• What financial risk is sitting in my life right now? (e.g., no insurance, no backup plan, one source of income)
• What knowledge gap is holding me back? (e.g., I don’t understand markets, compounding, or tax)
• What one thing could I learn or do this week that moves me forward?

You don’t need to overhaul your life in a day.

But you do need to start.

No Pressure… Just Perspective

If you’re not currently a LIFT Member, this isn’t a pitch for LIFT.

If you want to learn to trade and build a Lifestyle Income, we can help you…

But this article isn’t about that.

It’s about the opportunity to give yourself a mindset shift.

Because what I’ve seen time and time again is that the people who win long-term, no matter what path they choose, are the ones who don’t wait for the perfect time.

They start where they are.

They take action now.

The tools matter. The education matters.

But the decision to begin—that’s what unlocks everything else.

So Where Do You Go From Here?

Take five minutes after you read this to write down three actions you can take in the next week.

Nothing fancy. Just simple steps that your future self will thank you for.

Here are some examples:

• Book a financial health check with your super provider or accountant
• Start a 30-day spending tracker
• Begin learning a skill that can earn you an extra income stream
• Talk to your partner about a plan if one of you couldn’t work
• Start building a buffer account—even if it’s just $10 at a time

The habit of action is more important than the size of the action.

Final Thoughts

I’ve worked with over 1000 Australians over the past 20 years.

I’ve seen lives transformed. I’ve also seen lives unravel, not because people were lazy or irresponsible, but because they didn’t act early enough.

Your future isn’t built in a day… but it is built one day at a time.

If something in this article resonated with you, good. Sit with it. Let it stir something.

And then—do something with it.

Make the call. Write the plan.

Open the spreadsheet. Send the email. Take the first step.

You don’t need to do everything.

But you do need to do something.

Because the biggest pain in life is the pain of regret.

And you have a chance… right now, to avoid it.

Disclaimer

Trading forex involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always conduct your own research before trading.

The information, strategies, techniques and approaches discussed in this article are for general information purposes only.  The Trading Coach International does not necessarily use, promote nor recommend any strategies discussed in this article.  The information in this article may not be suitable for your personal financial circumstances and you should seek independent qualified financial advice before implementing any financial strategy. The Trading Coach International is not a financial advisor and does not have AFS registration.