Small sure steps will bring you massive success

Allow me to reintroduce myself: My name is Bett and I am overcoming the terrible habit of procrastination. Last I told you about this monkey on my back, I had a lengthy embarrassing list of tasks I had started then paused.

Something profound happened after I shared them with you – they did not seem so scary, after all. Actually, it was cavalier of me to have taken so long to complete them.

I rolled up my sleeves and got the work done. I no longer had a to-do list but a doing list: I finally got my parents-in-law that duvet I had promised. I got one in fibre off-the-rack of some Chinese store on Biashara Street.

One loose Monday, without prior planning, I nipped in to my fundi’s workshop in Kibera. He was as surprised to see me as I was to find myself there.

We spent an hour searching for the fabrics I had dropped off in March. He completed all my outfits a week later. He tailored a kimono that made me feel like Kwame Nkrumah.

On the day I wore it, I stood in front of the mirror chanting, ‘Wakanda Forever!’ It was a triumphant moment. It felt so good to have overcome.

What else? I applied for and collected my new passport from Nyayo House. I had been running for an hour whenever I could in the mornings but the rains this December got in the way of that train.

I had wanted to master photography – using the professional manual lenses – but I realise now that I need help with it; I cannot teach myself everything.

I have subscribed to an online resource centre called Skillshare. I will learn photography and plenty of other useful skills. Like building furniture and using a sewing machine.

The biggest monkey in this circus of procrastination was invoicing. As I mentioned, I run a couple of side-hustles and I am the head of finance.

One of my duties is to invoice our clients. I used to procrastinate invoicing because it is such a boring tedious task. Well, it is still boring but I get it done either way. I force myself to ‘eat the frog’. It takes a lot of will power to draft and send an invoice but it is immensely satisfying when it is out of my hands.

I know you are keen on becoming a better version of yourself next year. Not just with your money, but as a wholesome individual. I insist you read ‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg, and ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear.

Clear builds on Duhigg’s work. He talks about making small, easy yet obvious changes every day to change behaviour, break bad habits and build good ones.

He writes, “Improving by one per cent isn’t particularly notable – sometimes even noticeable – but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run.

"If you can get better by one per cent each day for a year, you’ll end up 37 times better by the time you’re done. Conversely, if you get one per cent worse each day for one year, you’ll decline nearly down to zero.”

Say, you want to save Sh120, 000 for your ‘Travel to New York’ kitty. Break the goal down and down to its atomic level. Sh120, 000 a year is Sh10, 000 in a month. Which is Sh330 in a day. Question to ask yourself is, “From the moment I rise in the morning to the moment my head hits the pillow at night, how can I save Sh330?”

You could spend less time in traffic to save fuel money. Which means rising up and leaving work earlier than usual. Get fewer hours of restful sleep – skip dinner, install curtain black outs, invest in cotton beddings and proper nightwear.

Save time by prepping your week’s outfits on Sunday night. At work, put your phone on airplane mode for your most productive two hours. Carry packed lunch. Opt for public transport sometimes. Shop on budget, not impulse.

The year is a wrap. We thank the Good Lord that you and I are here in this moment. And in excellent health. I am thankful for this column and to you – thank you for pitching your tent here every Saturday so we can talk about money. It has been fun. Let us do it again in 2020, Inshallah.

Happy New Year, good people.

Bett Kinyatti is a certified accountant with ACCA and a former financial auditor.