Yesterday Jon drew something to illustrate what Even needs to do:

The pot of gold under the rainbow represents every Even member’s goal: money they “just have” (wealth), which gives them freedom. The road is the road to that goal.

Most Even members, just starting out, aren’t even on the road. They’re stuck in a mud pit before the road starts:

They’re stuck in that pit because they can’t get past the obstacles of unreliable paychecks, lopsided bill schedules, and frequent unexpected expenses.

People stuck in that pit need a tool that factors in those obstacles, optimizing their route, so they can finally move forward.

Unfortunately, most of the tools on the market are the equivalent of a MapQuest printout. They show you a forecast of where you should go, tracing 1 static line from where you are now to where you’re going, but they don’t help you through the process of actually getting there. So you might get started off in the right direction, but as soon as obstacles pop up and throw you off course, you might as well throw that printout away.

Instead, what people need is Google Maps navigation:

• Live instructions about the best choice at each turn
• Elegant negotiation of obstacles that pop up along the way, and compensation for wrong turns you take
• Constant validation that you’re on the right track, beginning the instant you start driving: “You are on the fastest route, despite usual traffic.”

You’re still holding the wheel (for now — the driverless car of finance is coming) — but you don’t have to fret over the obstacles anymore. You can just drive.