If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it. If you cannot manage it, it will manage you.

My first step towards financial freedom (hereon defined as the ability to choose what I do with the hours and days I have left) was to see just how deep the hole is.

It is far too easy to slide through life from one day to the next, spinning the plates and keeping your head above water without actually making any real change.

I also find anything financial acutely uncomfortable. Having sought professional help for this, amongst other issues, I have discovered some of the colours and layers that make up the many facets of my personality. My reasons are not your reasons and as such, if you are unable to use the help of a professional, at least sit down and, with a pencil and paper, start to unpick your thought processes around your financial behaviours. Without this knowledge, all other endeavours are going to be significantly harder.

And then, with the help of a trusty pad of paper, write down clearly where you are spending money. Go over 2 or three months of bank statements, card receipts and paypal logs. Don’t be tempted to use a computer or a spreadsheet, it can become too distracting.

Once you have done that, write down and total all your debts. This, for me, was one of the scariest parts. Its easy to ignore the monthly payment, but the bald fact of how much can be painful. Debt simply means you are working to give other people money and far more than you ever borrowed.

Now, put your pen down and go out. There is no need to do everything the same day and this hill is a big one to climb.

Your next step is to write down how much you earn, or bring in. The reason for doing it this way around is to create a positive mindset, if possible.

If the going out is significantly and consistently larger than the going in, then please stop reading this and seek professional help. If in the UK, there are a number of debt counselling charities that can help. They may well exist in other countries and I hope they do.

On the assumption that your income and outgoings balance, or at least are close to each other, the final step of this element is to list the debts in interest rate order, the most expensive to the least.

You now finally a sketch map of the terrain.