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Recently, Ben over at Trees Full of Money offered a look at how he and his wife paid of $90,415 of consumer debt in only two years. It is a seven-part series, and well-worth reading. It is a truly inspiring story. And one that can be a little intimidating. But it does offer a real world example of what you can accomplish if you make a plan and stick to it. If you want to overcome large amounts of debt as quickly as possible, here are some of the things that you will need:

1. Reality check: It is vital that you take a brutally honest look at your situation, and consider the reasons that you are in trouble.
2. Desire to change: You need to have a desire to change the habits that got you into debt in the first place. And be committed to making the necessary changes.
3. Plan: Once you know what you are up against, and you have a desire to change, it becomes necessary to have a plan. You can use a number of different methods of aggressive debt reduction to make a plan. Create a feasible plan, based on the debt you have and your extra income each month, that can help you pay off your debt in a specific timeframe.
4. Discipline: This is the hard part. You need to have the discipline to pay off your debt according to your plan. This might mean taking an extra job, or looking for ways to make a little extra cash each month. Additionally, you might have to tell yourself “no” when it comes to making purchases of things you want — but don’t actually need. It is vital that you work to make your plan work.

In the end, it is possible to pay off your debt quickly. While I’m not sure I would have the guts to do it like Ben, paying of more than $90,000 in two years, I think his determination is admirable, and his story is inspiring.