You’ve made it to the final blog of the START Series—and the goal has been the same from the beginning: To help you move from stuck to secure and free.

Read on to learn 4 simple steps to building a financial plan, and Ronnie’s Habit Creation Formula. 

Building YOUR Roadmap 

Step 1: Get Clear on Where You Are—and Where You’re Going

Most people are reacting to life financially, instead of building toward something intentionally. The first step is to pause and reflect:

• What does financial fulfillment look like to you?

• What is my current financial situation? 

This is your foundation. You can’t build a sturdy plan without knowing your starting point and desired destination. When you name both, you start to shift out of survival mode and into focused action.

Step 2: Understand How Money Works

Here’s where financial confidence really begins—when you learn how money actually functions. Some key tools we talk about include:

• The Rule of 72 – This helps you calculate how long it will take your money to double for you (savings) or against you (debt) based on interest rate.

• How your money is taxed – Not all growth is equal. Understanding how your income, investments, and savings are taxed can save you thousands.

• The 3 ways money grows – Fixed (low growth, high stability), variable (Market-based—can go up or down), and indexed (inked to the market, but protected—no loss, only growth within a set range). Each one has a purpose, and when used intentionally, can create real momentum.

See Blog Reach out to learn more about these money principles. 

The more you know, the more you can assign your money to do a job for you. You become the manager—not the reactor.

Step 3: Create a Simple, Values-Aligned Plan

Once you’re clear on your direction and how money works, it’s time to create a clear, prioritized plan. While each person is unique, there is often a general order that looks like this:

1. Spend less than you make

2. Pay off high-interest debt – it’s eating away at your future

3. Build an emergency fund – aim for 3–6 months of expenses

4. Protect yourself with life insurance – so your family can grieve and rebuild if something happens, and so you can have income protection if illness strikes

5. Start saving for mid- and long-term goals – think kids’ college, retirement, or buying a home

6. Build toward passive income – so you’re not always trading time for money

One important thing I didn’t mention in the video—especially if you have kids—is the need for a will or a trust. A will lets you choose who will care for your children if something happens to you, and who will receive your money or belongings. A trust gives you privacy, allows you to avoid probate court, and allows you to dictate in more detail the terms of your legacy.  

When it comes to your estate (everything you own), you really have three choices:

1. You can leave it to the people you love,

2. You can leave it to causes you care about,

3. Or you can leave it to the government—by doing nothing.

If you don’t have a will, the government steps in and makes those choices for you. That can mean higher taxes, more delays, and your children possibly going into foster care until a decision is made. Having a will or a trust helps protect your family and give them peace of mind.

Step 4: Take Action—One Habit at a Time

It’s one thing to have a plan. It’s another to actually follow through. That’s where decisions, habits, rituals, and systems come in.

If you’ve followed this series, you already know that lasting change doesn’t come from willpower alone. It comes from creating habits that work with your brain, not against it.

Here’s Ronnie’s simple 4-part habit formula:

How to Build a Habit That Lasts: Ronnie’s Simple 4-Part Habit Formula

1. Create an Activator
Set something up that cues your new behavior.

• External: like an alarm or post-it note

• Internal: like placing your workout shoes next to your keys so you can’t leave the house without seeing them

• Tie your habit to something you already do: “If I’m waiting for my coffee, I’ll check my bank app”

2. Boost Your Resources
Make the habit easier to do.

• Have what you need: equipment, space, support

• Remove what tempts you: delete the shopping app, toss the candy, hide the extra card

3. Add a Reward
Celebrate—even if it’s small.

• Say it out loud

• Do a victory dance

• Check it off or report it to a friend

4. Repeat It Consistently

• Make it small and doable

• Link it to a time or trigger: “Every Friday at 8am I check my accounts”

• Have a Plan B: “If I miss my 9am walk, I’ll go at 4:30pm”

Final Thought: Be More Intentional

You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just need to be more intentional.

When you know:

• Where you are

• Where you want to go

• How money works

• And what you value most

…you can take simple, powerful steps toward a life that’s aligned—with your habits, your money, and your mission.

🎥 Watch Episode 6: Your Personalized Roadmap to Financial Fulfillment

👉 Ready to revisit the beginning? Start again with Episode 1: Why Willpower Isn’t Enough.

Return to The START Series Blog Hub.