What if I told you that there was a secret that I could sell you that would make you rich? Would you be interested? If you think that sounds like a tempting offer, then be of good cheer because it’s yours for the meager investment of reading through the rest of this article. No money down, no monthly payments, just read and you too can be wealthy beyond your dreams. It’s not a pyramid scheme or a real estate scam, it’s completely legal and there’s nothing to buy to get started.
Okay, maybe I should define “rich” in the terms of this discussion. I define rich as being financially independent. In my book you can be rich without parking your private jet next to Donald Trump’s plane. My definition of rich is having zero debt, a house or living space that doesn’t eat up forty percent of your combined income, no car loans, no credit card debt, no second mortgage and an emergency fund large enough to cover a $1,000 to $3,000 bill without borrowing money. Beyond the emergency fund you also have investments in both the stock market and liquid hard assets, like gold and silver coins, and something put away for retirement.
While the program is free and the steps are simple, it will not be easy. In fact, for some of you, it will be the hardest thing you have ever attempted. Many will fail. Many more will fall down and have to pick themselves up and start all over again. Only a few will make it. It will take work, sacrifice and the path is not without risk. Still interested? Then read on.
Be Unreasonably Optimistic
To attain wealth and financial independence you have to become a believer. You have to believe that anyone with enough drive, focus and sacrifice can achieve financial independence. This isn’t some wispy, feel good meme I’m talking about but a rock solid core of belief that you can do it. It’s a factor that Patrick Brown, the CEO of Impossible Foods, calls unreasonable optimism. You have to believe you are bigger than your financial problems and believe in your ability to overcome the obstacles.
Research, Research, Research
Research and education are key components of financial independence. You have to read about personal finance and investing every day. You don’t have to believe everything you read, just spend time sharpening the saw. Over time wading through investment advice you will start to see a picture emerge of what it takes to become successful at investing and personal finance. Forums like Reddit’s PersonalFinance are very helpful but be aware that some of the people there are paid shills.
Learn To Document Everything
To make good decisions you need good data. To get good data you need to learn to keep records. That means learning to use spreadsheets to track your spending in specific categories, down to the penny. It means learning to use investment return calculators and understanding concepts like opportunity cost. The better records you keep, the more likely you are to be successful.
Work Toward Starting Your Own Business
Ah, this is where a lot of people fall away. It was all good until it got here, right? Learning about running a business is both a financial education and personal growth. What you learn right away is how hard it is to run a business. Even though it’s hard, the richest among us got there by sweat equity building a business. Getting wealthy means increasing your income and wages have been basically flat for over forty years. So, if you want to financially independent, learn about running a business.
Maintain Focus
Small lapses in judgment can result in setbacks and losses. Everyone makes mistakes, so the trick is to make cheap mistakes. Planning requires research and research requires focus. It means developing systems to track your spending and automate savings. You simply can’t sleepwalk your way to financial independence, you also can’t cheat it or shortcut your way there. Focus means coming up with a plan and sticking to it. It means evaluating every spending decision, even small ones, in light of the plan.
I never claimed any of these steps were easy, but success is possible. Millions have used these steps to power their way to a better financial life and you can, too. It’s not easy and it’s not fast but the methodology is proven and reliable. You could have paid $1,500 to get the same information in a weekend seminar but here it’s yours free.
