Jake's Take: A League of Their Own - It's The Hard That Makes It Great

Deriving financial insights from today's blockbusters and yesteryear's classics.

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Economically, times are tough right now. Most people are sailing into financial headwinds with no idea of what they’re going to do to get survive. In tough tough times, the mettle of individuals is tested and their resolve to hold fast to their financial goals is put through the ringer. But you know what?

“It’s the hard that makes it great.”

There’s a wonderful baseball comedy from 1992 about the short-lived all-female baseball league during World War II. Geena Davis plays Dottie Hinson, a level-headed gal waiting for her husband to return home from the war when she decides to take up baseball. To everyone’s surprise, she’s not just good at it, she’s amazing.

By the end of the film, however, Dottie is facing a whole host of issues: she and her sister have become rival opponents, her husband returns from the war, wounded, and her team is about to enter the playoffs. Dottie decides to quit the team and return home, which is when the team’s manager, played beautifully by Tom Hanks, confronts her, demanding to know why.

“It just got too hard,” Dottie says.

“It’s supposed to be hard,” Dugan retorts. “If it weren’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”

Now, granted, saving money and paying off debt is hardly the level of great as the all-American sport of baseball, but Dugan’s point remains: if it were easy, everybody would do it. If it were easy, no one would be in debt. If saving money were easy, we wouldn’t be in the economical straight-jacket we’re in. It’s hard. But it’s the hard that makes it worth it.

No matter what you’re facing right now, don’t give up. Maybe it’s a lost job, maybe it’s medical bills, or school. Accept the fact that these challenges are going to slow you down, maybe even set you back, but they will pass. Keep moving forward. Getting out of debt and building wealth is going to get hard, but the biggest reward is going to come to those who persevere in the hard times.

Keep pinchin' :-)