Thirsty for financial freedom?

I remember reading the science fiction series by Hugo award winner Frank Herbert titled "Dune". It is a facinating book because it talks about a future on a desert planet aptly named Dune where the rarest of commodities know as melange or "spice" exists and where interplanetary travel is only made possible by Guild Navigators who ingest and consume this exotic additive. The main character Paul Atreides finds himself trapped on the desert outside of the protection of the city and in the desert among the fremen, spice itself is not the ultimate treasure... The ultimate treasure is water!

What has water got to do with financial freedom
That's an interesting factoid but how does it relate to personal finance and money?

The reason I am bringing up this story is to share with you that while we may think making more and more money is the ultimate goal for our financial freedom, we need to consider see ing money as a means to our ends and not the ends itself.

Let me explain further. Many of you want to achieve financial freedom. I want to achieve financial freedom. Your boss, colleagues, neighbours, friends, relatives and most Singaporeans all want to achieve financial freedom. To what ends?

What is your true thirst in life
In the novel, Dune, although spice was the equivalent of money, water was ultimately life itself because without water, you would have no life and no amount of spice could save you from death if your die of thirst. In your quest to earn more, save more, invest more, do you pause to seek the objective that you are trying to achieve with your activities? What is the true thirst that you are trying to quench in your pursuit of wealth and financial freedom?

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory teaches us that we will stop being satisfied by the material side of life (food, shelter, safety) i.e. financial freedom considerations, we will start to yearn for the spiritual side (self-actualisation, fulfilment). This is a continuing theme that I alluded in one of my earlier posts that as we drive towards our destination of financial freedom, do we spend equal time thinking about what drives us?

Quenching your thirsty
Financial freedom as represented as having sufficient passive income that exceeds your living expenses allows you the choice to decide what the life you want to live that will satisfy both your heart and your soul. Some of you do not even have to wait for that if you have already examined yourself and know what exactly it is that thirst that you need to quench with life-giving water.

I challenge you to look into your own hearts and minds and see if you can find out what makes you thirsty?

Be well and prosper.