

Financial freedom is a mindset that puts into motion a life of discipline so that you can achieve your goals.
There are many definitions of the word rich, to keep things simple we will be talking about getting rich financially, enough wealth to where you could go 20 years without earning a single dime and still have money left over.
10.
Have a plan: You
have to plan to get rich if you want to be rich. Even people who play
the lottery have a plan...It might not be a very good one or even
successful, but they do have a plan laid out, keep buying tickets
until they win.
Having a plan is the difference between wishing
you were rich and living rich before you actually become rich. I�m
not talking about living lavishly, I am talking about being wise with
your money.
Create
more than one plan, I always had a long term plan, one where I
guaranteed myself a significant amount of wealth over the course of 3
decades. My second tier plan was a way for me to get rich in 15
years; and my 3rd plan, the plan that I mainly focused on, was a 5
year plan.
You
want to have fall back plans that are more conservative and
guaranteed because in the beginning, creating wealth is difficult.
Only after you have the knowledge, experience, and money does your
wealth compound.
9.
Become a compulsive saver: In
my own life, this was huge; my wife and I are both relentless savers.
Saving probably an average of 75% of our income over the past 3
years, prior to that we probably saved at least 25%.
Not losing money you�ve earned, as well as taking the money you�ve earned and putting it to work is going to be a crucial part of your wealth building.
One
of the most important values in my life is always thinking about how
I will put my dollars to work. Think of each dollar as a potential
employee or business, each dollar will happily work for you if you
give it a job.
8.
Focus on investments that cash flow: Stocks
that pay dividends, rental properties, becoming a lender, or anything
else you can buy that will give you passive income.
Forget
about speculative or capital appreciation.
Every
single time I tell people I buy houses for rental income, I always
hear questions about the real estate market going down or the party
being over for appreciation...I don�t care. I don�t give the
value of my houses a single thought. I want the income, it makes no
difference to me if the house is worth $250,000 or $50,000, it
doesn�t effect me. All that matters is how much money I am making
from the property.
7.
Buy at the right price: A
great saying in the investment world is that you make money when you
buy. Meaning, if the deal is structured correctly, you always walk
into an investment wealthier than you were before. This goes for
other things as well, including buying every day items. Saving money
because you are buying at the right price will add up to a lot over
the years and decades ahead.
6.
Treat debt as your archenemy: Never
go into debt for a vehicle, consumer good, or product that doesn�t
produce the income to service the debt. This is a powerful code to
live by, because if you just live by this one rule, you will not only
become financially rich, but this will open up the floodgates of
freedom in your life. Do not become an indentured servant by going
into debt for a piece of metal that you drive to and from work. It�s
important to accept that no one cares what you drive or what brand
your clothes are.
Sure,
it feels great introducing your new car to friends for about the
first 20 seconds, but after that no one cares; so don�t get stuck
with a 2,190 day financing commitment.
5.
Invest in your relationships: Mentors,
clients, and your financial team. Whether it is your Realtor or
elderly neighbor who made a fortune in commodities 20 years ago,
learn from other people and treat them with respect.
4. Educate yourself: Surround yourself with audio books, podcasts, and sign up for a few financial newsletters.
Most
conventional education through a college or university is a waste of
time in my opinion. Not only are these instructors not wealthy
themselves, but the ones that are, are wealthy because they have
sucked from the big tit of government, with these ridiculous state
worker pension plans.
3.
Diversification: Real
diversification, meaning owning rental properties, stocks, private
businesses, lending, farmland, precious metals, whole life policies,
and other assets.
I
hate the typical idea of diversification between mutual funds,
individual stocks, bonds, REITS, and MLP�s. These are ALL tied to
the stock market, so this is not diversification.
2.
Live below your means: If
you are under 35, this is what I call your asset accumulation phase,
you should be aggressively acquiring income producing investments
that will guarantee your financial freedom by the time you are 50.
To
do this, you need to live below your means, this starts off by
avoiding the trap of keeping up with the Joneses. Don�t get caught
up in the love affair with stuff or having the same status-like items
that your friends have who will remain poor until the day they die.
If
you make $50,000 a year and you drive a $25,000 car, you�re an
idiot. With $25,000 or the payments needed to support that car, you
could be building a massive amount of wealth for the future.
1.
Compound your wealth: Imagine
a hockey stick laying on the ground pointing straight up. This is the
effect of compounding your wealth, it takes time, and is barely
noticeable in the beginning, however, after decades of re-investing
your wealth, eventually your net worth will go parabolic. People who
are in their 20�s who start investing today, even if for just the
next 7 years, can actually become wealthier than someone who doesn�t
start investing for 7 years, but then invests every year until they
retire. That�s how powerful it is to start putting your money to
work immediately.
The
wealthy understand this, which is why a 2% dividend can one day
become a 100% dividend on your original investment, if given enough
time. This practice creates legacy wealth, a wealth that will be
transferred to your children and your children�s children.
Albert
Einstein said,
�compound interest is the eighth wonder in the world...He who
understands it, earns it...he who doesn�t...pays it.�
Think
about that the next time you are at your bank signing up for a loan,
YOU are becoming someone else�s asset. You are helping their
dollars create more dollars.
If
you want to be rich, then act rich. The
actions of the rich are not what Hollywood portrays, it is applying
the above commentary to your daily living.
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