Putting things off, Part 2.

Sue Tierney

Last month I talked about making your will, and how it’s human nature to put it off. Sadly, procrastination isn’t limited to legal documents that set out your future wishes. It can affect your wellbeing in the here and now.

Want a real-life example? I know someone who received bad news about a leaky building she owned. The bill to fix it was estimated at $150,000…five years ago.

She put off making a decision. Now she’s faced with a $1 million bill.

It happens every day. I see clients whose businesses are going through a “quiet period” or “a bit of downtime.” They shy away from the reality of a reduced income. Instead, they put bills on the plastic, increase their credit limits, take out new cards, and somehow end up with $40,000 of high-interest debt. It’s not pretty.

Others are gripped with anxiety when they see an envelope with the bank’s logo. They know it contains bad news so they stuff it in the drawer unopened. What happens next? The bank has a non-responding debtor. Eventually it has no option but to call in the debt. This is a shame, because in my experience most banks will respond sensitively to a customer who is struggling but willing to make an effort.

This talk of debts and problems may be downbeat, but don’t worry, I have good news. If you resist the tendency to procrastinate you will be surprised at what turns up. I can confirm this from my own experience.

A property I own has a geotech land issue. This could be serious and it’s something I need to raise with Council. I know this will be a battle, with potentially eye-watering sums at stake.

What’s worse is that I have no expertise in this field. I don’t know where to begin. Where can I find help?

I turned to Google but that didn’t help. I was on the point of giving up, but then I remembered a lawyer I had once chatted to. I gave him a call. He couldn’t help but referred me to another solicitor. Scanning the information on this second lawyer’s website, I saw some details about a case involving a close friend. I called that friend. She then referred me to a barrister who turned out to be a bona fide expert in this field.

I contacted the barrister, and now we have a plan for tackling the problem. I can’t tell you how relieved I felt once this weight had been lifted.

Thank you for staying with this story. I appreciate it’s been a bit of a saga. The point is that solutions aren’t always easy to find but you have to get started. The motivational thought for me is, “If I don’t get deal with this now it will be 10 times more difficult later.”

I don’t like conflict, and like most people, I will put off problems if I can. But I promise this: You will be much happier if you tackle the issues you’ve been putting off. The universe has a habit of suggesting solutions to those who seek them out.

Just do it.

PS. Someone asked me if it was OK to forward this newsletter to a friend. Please do! I encourage it.

Got a question about property or life in general?  Send Sue an email .

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