I just came back from my 35th high school reunion. It was a great weekend reconnecting with people I hadn’t seen in decades, reliving old stories, and realizing just how many of us now need reading glasses to see the name tags.
Somewhere between the laughs and the flashbacks, I found myself thinking about Mr. Toolson, my Grade 9 typing teacher. Back in those days, we learned on electric typewriters. Big machines that demanded rhythm and focus.
During tests, Mr. Toolson would occasionally leave the room, trusting us to keep our eyes on the page, and not cheat by looking at the keyboard.
But I thought I was slick.
Whenever he stepped out, I’d sneak glances at the typewriter keys, thinking I was getting away with something. I always got an A, and I felt pretty pleased with myself. I assumed I’d pulled the wool over his eyes.
Mr. Toolson passed away recently. And as I reflect on those classes, I realize he had the last laugh after all.
It turns out all those hours in his class built a kind of keyboard muscle memory that’s served me to this day. I now type almost as fast as I talk. (It’s one of my nerdy super-powers!)
The practice sunk in. The habit stuck.
I owe him a thank you (and maybe an apology).
Funny how the basics work.
And it’s not just typing.
Mr. Toolson’s principles apply when it comes to your money too.
Your Money Needs Muscle Memory
Whether you’re saving up for a vacation, paying off student loans, or building a retirement plan, the trick is to make the effort consistent enough to become second nature.
And how does muscle memory apply to saving?
The power of habit.
Set it up so you don’t have to think about it. Automate your savings. Redirect a portion of your income before you even see it.
Get that muscle memory working in your favour.
You might think it’s not enough. That it’s just a little here, a little there. But over time, like keystrokes you don’t even realize you’re making, those small financial actions add up to something significant.
Set it up so you don’t have to think about it. Automate your savings.
Redirect a portion of your income before you even see it.
Mr. Toolson didn’t just teach typing.
He taught me about the power of habit.
And maybe that’s the real lesson worth remembering.
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