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Hello Reader,
It’s Bola here.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to virtually join a book club discussion hosted by the Alpha Delta Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The women were reading Clever Girl Millionaire, and as always, I enjoyed hearing their questions, perspectives, and experiences.
But the conversation reminded me of something I've noticed over and over again after years of teaching financial education, writing books, speaking at events, hosting a podcast, and talking with women in our community.
No matter their age, income, career stage, or net worth, many women are asking some version of the same questions.
And honestly?
The answers to these common questions are often very different than they think:
Q1: Am I behind?
This may be the most common question I hear.
Sometimes it's asked directly. Sometimes it's hidden beneath another question. Like:
"I haven't started investing yet."
"I don't own a home."
"I still have debt."
"I didn't start saving until my 40s."
"I wish I had done things differently."
What I've learned is that many of us spend a lot of time comparing our financial lives to what we believe everyone else is doing.
The challenge is that we rarely have the full picture.
We see the vacation photos, the new homes, the promotions, the investment conversations, and the social media highlights. We hear about someone's success story, but we don't hear about the debt they paid off, the mistakes they made, the financial support they received, or the years it took them to get where they are.
It's easy to feel behind when you're comparing your reality to someone else's highlight reel.
The truth is that financial journeys rarely follow a straight line. Most people have periods where they feel ahead, behind, confident, confused, successful, and uncertain.
The women I meet who are making the most progress aren't necessarily the women who started earliest. Instead, they're the women who decided to keep going.
Q2: Am I doing enough?
The second question I hear all the time is whether someone is doing enough:
Should I be saving more?
Should I be investing more?
Should I be earning more?
Should I be doing something else entirely?
I understand this question because there is always another financial goal to chase.
Once you build an emergency fund, you start thinking about investing. Once you start investing, you start thinking about retirement. Once you focus on retirement, you start thinking about building wealth faster.
There is always another milestone ahead.
The challenge is that "enough" can become a moving target if we're not careful.
One of the biggest mindset shifts I've had to make in my own life is learning to appreciate progress while still pursuing growth.
You can celebrate that you're saving consistently and still want to save more. You can be proud that you started investing and still want to increase your contributions. You can acknowledge how far you've come without having reached every goal.
Too often, women dismiss their progress because they haven't reached the finish line yet but the progress you are making now deserves recognition too!
Q3: When will I finally feel financially secure?
This is another question that comes up often.
Many people believe there is a specific number that will suddenly make them feel financially secure.
A bigger emergency fund, higher salary, a larger investment account, or more money in the bank.
And while those things can absolutely help, I've learned that confidence doesn't magically appear when you hit a certain number.
Financial security comes from preparedness and having a plan.
It comes from knowing you can handle setbacks when they happen and from building habits that support your goals.
I've met women with impressive incomes who still feel financially anxious.
I've also met women with much smaller incomes who feel incredibly confident because they know exactly where they stand and have systems in place to support themselves.
Security isn't created by income alone. It's created by the habits, systems, and decisions that help you navigate life's ups and downs.
What I want you to remember
If there's one thing I hope you take away from this, it's these three reminders:
1. Most people are figuring it out as they go. No one has all the answers and no one gets everything right. The women you admire financially are learning, adjusting, and growing just like you are.
2. Wealth building is not a race. Your journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Your timeline is yours.
3. You are probably doing better than you think. If you're reading books, learning about money, paying attention to your finances, saving what you can, investing when possible, and trying to make thoughtful decisions, give yourself credit for that.
Those actions matter and they add up over time. And they are moving you forward, even when it doesn't always feel that way.
A question for you
I'd love for you to take a moment and reflect on this:
What's one financial decision you've made this year that your past self would be proud of?
Opening a savings account? Investing for the first time? Paying down debt? Simply paying closer attention to your money than you ever have before?
Whatever it is, take a moment to acknowledge it because your progress deserves to be celebrated!
Invite me to your book club!
Is your book club reading one of my books? I'd love to pop in and say hello! Email us at hello@clevergirlfinance.com and let's see if we can make it happen.
Keep learning and growing
If you're looking for practical guidance and support on your financial journey, be sure to explore our free resources at Clever Girl Finance.
We offer 30+ free courses, 40+ worksheets, free mentor calls, and a supportive community of women working toward their financial goals.
👉 Explore our free resources here: clevergirlfinance.com/courses
Want to go deeper?
Many of the questions I discussed today; Am I behind? Am I doing enough? When will I finally feel financially secure?, are exactly the kinds of questions that inspired me to write Clever Girl Millionaire.
In the book, I share the mindset shifts, lessons, mistakes, and strategies that helped me build wealth and redefine what I believed was possible for my future.
It's not about chasing perfection or comparing yourself to someone else's timeline.
It's about building confidence, taking action, and creating your own version of financial success.
If you've already picked up a copy, thank you so much for your support. And if you haven't yet, you can find Clever Girl Millionaire wherever books are sold.
📺 On YouTube
Tune in to this YouTube video on, Why financial discipline is hard and how to make it easier.
Be sure to check out the Clever Girl Finance YouTube channel for more great videos!
📖 On the blog
🎧 On the podcast
📲 Follow us on social media
Remember, The women who build wealth aren't necessarily the women who have all the answers.
They're the women who keep learning, keep growing, and keep moving forward, even when they're not sure exactly what comes next.
So keep going.
Talk soon ❤️
Bola
