5 lessons I’ve learned about money working with NFL players

 Money is personal and very private; except when you are an NFL athlete, and your salary and signing bonuses are public knowledge. Yikes! Makes keeping a low profile really difficult.

Working with the NFL for the past 5 years as a financial coach to the players, I’ve learned a lot about money, athletes, and one truly shocking reality… that ALL of us go through the same learning curves with money.

Don’t believe me? Just wait.

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I’m going to take you through5 key things I’ve learned working with NFL players that actually apply to everyone. Yes, no matter your salary or stage of life–these are actually5 key things that EVERYONE faces when it comes to money.

1. BUDGETS! Yes. NFL players budget too.

If you made 100 million dollars you might think, “I don’t need a budget.” Wrong! The most financially successful NFL players are not always the ones with the biggest contracts. In fact, some of the best paid playersdo go broke. My core belief is that it comes back to fundamentals.Having a budget!

Every guy I talk to that I see having success with money, (making it grow, building streams of income); They have a budget and they stick to it. Who’d have thought…NFL players budget too! Just like you…or like you are going to start doing. :) 

(And yes budgets are tricky–we have your whole starter pack available on our site. Find it HERE)

 2. Social Pressure - It is real–especially in this fast paced social-centric society!

We’ve all felt the desire to have the newest phone, fastest car, best watch, coolest kicks–and on and on…and on. It’s a fact of life for everyone, not just NFL players. We all want better for ourselves, that’s what the American dream is built on!

But what we perceive as the American Dream costs money. It costs a lot competing to get the latest and greatest all the time. Which is why you need to realize–what you're seeing is what you’re believing. But that doesn’t mean it’s real.

Social media puts pressure on you everyday in a way that previous generations never experienced. Pressure to spend, get more stuff, and show it off. The difference with the NFL is that they areeven more public, so the problems and pressure can become even bigger and more visible. However, there is a lesson to be learned here for everyone.

Social pressure at any age and income bracket is real. Do not let that pressure impact how you choose to spend YOUR money. The American Dream is the ability to be free and live your best life–and you don’t have to show it to a soul. Chances are, you’ll be even happier if you don’t.

 3. Credit is king. Credit is king. Credit is KING.

Literary. When I started working with the NFL I was seeing car loan interest rates at 20-30% for some of these guys, simply because they did not have credit. That hurt! And this happens to many Americans. Financing at any rate is NOT WORTH it, when a better credit score will get you a WAY better deal. And it’s easier than you think. 

It all comes down to having good credit and how to build it. The NFL reminds me that we all have to put in work so we can improve our credit score. No short cuts or freebies, no matter how high your signing bonus your credit score doesn’t care what your income or social standing is. So you better clean it up and run it like a business. 

4. NOTHING IS FREE-and if someone is telling you otherwise they’re full of sh*t

Ever heard the expression, “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” It’s true! Someone, somewhere paid for this. Everything comes at a price in one way or another. Whether it’s your time, emotional well being, energy, or a sense of indebtedness. 

You may think that being a pro athlete means comps, gist, free stuff all day long. Yes, NFL players get free stuff–but they are expected to pay in a different way. With their influence, endorsement, or notoriety. (I.e. advertising or ‘humble bragging’ to their network.) That means they still have to work to get that free bag or new shoes. 

It’s the same in the non-pro athlete arena. So if you think something is free, re-evaluate and think again. There’s a cost built in there somewhere.

5. CONSISTENCY IS KEY-Discipline + consistency = success

 What do all the greats have in common? An unwavering sense of discipline paired with consistency. They work hard. Every. Single. Day.

The financially successful NFL players I work with are consistently working on their money game. From managing their budget, to building credit, they always work to improve their financial life. They don’t take days off and they don’t overspend.

This takes serious discipline and consistency. This is also what makes them successful, helps them build wealth, and leads to a winning mindset. It’s the same sort of discipline that makes them successful on the field. And it’s the same sort of consistency you need to apply to your budget, finances, credit, and spending if you ever want to get ahead–and then stay ahead. 

Getting your finances into shape can seem hard. But we make it easy. Grab our 12 week financial training program in the description so you can get started improving your money game like a pro athlete, and live the lifestyle you want. Take control now!

 Every person can tap into these lessons and harness the athlete mindset to grow their money game using these 5 money lessons I’ve learned working with NFL athletes. And remember, these are5 key things that EVERYONE faces when it comes to money. You can win this challenge. Get your money game in shape now.