[Ed note: Money Matters is a weekly column that dissects financial matters in a way that folks who aren't finance experts can understand. If have a money question you want answered by our resident expert, Shay Olivarria, please email Shay@squarerootz.net.]

Part One: Money Management in 1 Minute – Thanks Joe Budden!

I was listening to a Joe Budden tape when I heard something that made me heart stop. He said something like, “there are 3 kinds of people: those who saw what happened, those who don’t know what happened, and those that make things happen.” This is exactly how I feel about personal finance. Some of us see others get money. Some of us don’t know how folks get money. Some of us are the ones getting money. Which one are you?

Part Two: Reader Question

I’m graduating from high school this year and I’m not sure what I’m gonna do after that. My teacher is trying to get me to apply to college, but I’m not sure I wanna do that. I wanna get a fly car, house, etc., but I don’t know how to get it.

First off, I’m glad that you are thinking about the future. Too many of us aren’t thinking a month ahead let alone a year ahead. Now, the answer all depends on you. Deciding what you want to do is a long, time consuming, decision. I would like you to pick up Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice by Dennis Kimbro. The book gives you a wonderful outline for earning wealth.

I teach money management skills to elementary, middle, high, and college students and I hear this question quite a lot. We all want the good things in life, but few of us have a plan to earn those things. Do we think that Opportunity is going to knock on your door one day while you’re playing Wii and talking on the phone? Of course not, we have to go out and earn everything we get in life. There are 4 easy steps to make sure you get everything you want out of life: decide what you want, make a plan, don’t let others dissuade you, and go get it!

Decide what you want

There is a difference between a dream and a goal. A dream is something that we wish we had. Something that we wake up from and face reality. Many of us have dreams and being rich, but what does that mean? How much money is rich? Your goal must be specific or how will you know when you reach it?

Make a plan

Now that you have a goal, it’s time to turn it into a plan. Let’s say that my goal in 2009 is to earn $40,000. How will I make that happen? I will have to think about where I am right this moment and where I want to be. There are several steps that go into earning more money, increasing your net worth, or any other goal that you have set. Your plan must be detailed. Plot out the steps logically. Crawl before you walk.

Don’t let anyone talk you out of your goals

There will be naysayers. Don’t let them distract you from your goal. The Chinese have a saying, “the man who believes it can’t be done should not interrupt the man doing it”.

‘Nuff said.

Go get it

The last part of these four steps is the most difficult. Many of us have goals, made plans, shared them with others, and then faltered at the last step. This is the part where the work comes in. There is no way to achieve your goals except hard work.

It’s really that simple. Decide what it is you want to go, make a plan, don’t let others talk you out of it, and go get it.

Go get your dreams man.