New Year's Resolution On Reducing Debt - Lesson From The Marathon Monks
The New Year is a time that many people decide there future financial goals and how to save money. Many people will resolve to pay off their credit card debt and become debt free only to not follow through for one reason or another. So instead of resolving this year to do the impossible task of reducing your spending, I will suggest another goal.
You will begin this goal in one week's time. Over the next eight years you will run the equivalent of the entire equator - or once around the world.
The first three years you will run approximately 18 miles a day along along narrow paths in the mountains in nothing more than a pair if straw sandals and a robe. You must do this up and down marathon trek for 100 straight days during each of the three years. You will start at 1:30 in the morning each day. You should return by 9:00 AM so that you can attend to your regular chores during the day.
In years four and five, you will travel the same narrow mountain path in the early morning hours, but increase the time to 200 straight days: come rain, come snow, even come hurricanes.
In year six, you will increase the distance to 37 miles a day, more than a full marathon. You will do this for 100 consecutive days, each day returning to do your normal, everyday chores.
When you complete the sixth year, you will endure the doiri, seven days and nights - 168 straight hours - sitting in a proper prayer position without any food, water or sleep. There will be two people watching over you at all times to make sure you do not sleep and keep the proper prayer position.
In year seven, you will increase your 100 consecutive day run to 52 miles a day, the equivalent of 2 full marathons. Your daily chores will be reduced during this time, but not eliminated.
The final year you will go back to where you began and run the original 18 mile course for 100 straight days.
Oh, and lest you decide somewhere along this stretch of eight years that you want to give up, each and every day that you run, you will carry a rope and a knife with you. If you should fail to complete the course, you shall be ready to use one of these to either hang or disembowel yourself.
This is a quest that is done by individuals in a group of Japanese Buddhist monks that are part of the Tendai sect located in the mountains looking over the ancient capital of Kyoto. Since the inception of the Hieizan Sennichi Kaihogyo (Mt. Hiei 1000 Day Journey) in 1585, only 49 people have completed it, the last being Genshin Fujinami in early 2004.
As you sit down to make your New Year resolutions remember that none of them is impossible. No matter what your current financial situation, make a resolution to save a portion of your income to either invest or pay down debt. No matter how difficult it may seem, chances are that saving a bit of extra money isn't nearly as difficult as what some others have committed to do.
New Year's Resolution On Reducing Debt - Lesson From The Marathon Monks
