Are You Ready To Take The Challenge?

"Are you ready for a challenge?

"Do you run and hide at the very mention of a challenge?

"Or are you an A-type personality like myself whose ears perk up like a hyena on the Serengeti?

"Whichever category you fall into, this might just be a challenge you want to get in on."

"How many winners?" you ask.

"Everyone can win,"  I respond.

"Okay then, what do we win?" you question.

"You win Money!"

"Money?"

"Yes, Money!" I say more loudly this time.

"How much money?" you push.

"It depends," I reply.

"It depends on what," you ask as you start to get annoyed with my coyness.

"It depends," I continue "on you."

You sigh.  Not really the answer you were hoping for, but the thought of winning money still has your interest peaked.  So you inquire further.  "On me?  Well if it depends on me then I think twenty, no make that thirty million will do just fine please."

(Here is where I Laugh Out Loud!)

"I can't promise you twenty or thirty million, " I begin, "but I can't rule it out either now that I think about it."

Now I've got your interest.  So I continue...

..."because it really truly is up to you."

"Huh?" (That's you.)

"Okay, let me explain.  Grab a cup of coffee or a cold beer and that last piece of chocolate cake, have a seat in your comfortable chair next to the fireplace and I will explain my challenge to you and how you can have more money because of it."

(This is were I give you time to go do the aformentioned.)

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes quite," you reply.

"Good, then let me begin.  So you've heard me talking about all this get out of debt business and how Ken and I committed ourselves to this journey last June.  Since I began these talks I've been encouraged and believe me when I say even a bit surprised at the amount of attention and more importantly the national nerve it has hit.  I received quite a few emails on the topic to say the least."

"Okay," you encourage between bites of cake, "I'm with you so far."

"Good.  Well anyway, with all the thoughts and information rolling around in my head orbiting my brain like the earth around the sun, I came up with an idea.  What if, I pondered while I was soaking in a warm tub of water a few nights ago, what if I gave everyone the opportunity to become debt-free along with me.  What if as a nation we took control of our own financial responsibilities and showed the White House how to do it?"

That has me thinking again.

"Hmm, do you really think I can get someone in D.C. to follow along?"

You shake your head no.

"I suppose you're right.  Well at least we Americans can take back our country and rescue it from the depths of poverty and rise to the Challenge!"

And so a Challenge was born.

"Yes, but what is the Challenge and more importantly, how much money am I going to get?" you probe.

"The challenge is to Pledge to be Debt-Free."

"Sounds good," you answer, "but how am I supposed to do that?"

""First, read about the Challenge that I've explained on the sidebar of my blog.  Then copy and paste the code for the pledge button to put on your blog.  Next you need only to follow along with my Wednesday (and sometimes additional days as well) posts as I explain what we have done, what we are doing and how it is all working to get Ken and I out of debt."

"Well," you begin, "I suppose I can do that.  I'm mean, I really do need to get out of debt but don't know where to start."

"Then you can start right here.  You can start wherever you are along the path of being debt-free and having financial freedom."

"I'm convinced I need to take the challenge and make the pledge but what about the money?"

"Oh yes that," I feign memory lapse.  "Well you see, the money in question comes into play when you are out of debt.  Once you get out of debt, all that money you were paying out each month in payments and burning off in interest can now be used to save, invest and build your wealth instead of substituted as an expensive source of fuel to feed the 'I need, I want machine.'  Not that I'm saying you've ever spent too much money or anything."

You squirm a bit like my eight year old son Ethan when he is being questioned whilst he is standing in the 'naughty' corner.

"Okay!" you stand and shake my hand as the cake crumbs fall to the floor.  "I'm in.  I'll take the Challenge and become debt-free."

"Then my friend," I reply, "my work here is done for the day."

Photos from iStock.com (except for the one just above.)