Think and Grow Rich(er)

Your brain is the biggest aid to your journey in financial freedom
The biggest tool we have in our journey towards financial freedom is our BRAIN!

"Think and Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill is one of the books that have influenced my approach and thoughts about financial freedom. It is an oldie but a goodie... Napolean Hill does not give you a step by step A to Z tactical plan to reach financial freedom. What his book did for me was to impress upon me of the importance of managing our mindset and our thoughts because our thoughts define who and what we are.

All of us are born with a brain. Our brains and the thoughts that go through our mind determine our actions in life. It is in the mind that the seeds of any idea leading to behaviour and action.

In order for you to stay the course towards financial freedom, you have to consider the commitment to fill your mind with thoughts that help you achieve it. How do we do that? How do we program our mind to be oriented towards thoughts that centre around savings, investments and living a simple life to be less focussed on the materialism and consumerism that threatens to derail our efforts in moving our networth upwards instead of being stagnant?

Master your mind, master your financial destiny
Our senses pick up external stimuli that affects our thoughts and subsequently behaviour. While we cannot control everything that we see, hear or feel, we can influence it by making a conscious effort to absorb material that is conducive in developing a mindset towards financial freedom.

Visit the public libraries, surf the internet for personal finance and investment. Watch CBNC Asia, Channelnewsasia's Money Mind etc. Listen to audio tapes about personal finance. Talk to people who are interested in financial topics but who are not interested in making a commission off you. Visiting and reading my blog helps because you know that I am like you. Interested in saving and investing prudently and living a simple enough life that meets most of my needs, some of my wants and allowing me to still live a life that is reasonably fulfilling. Learn to enjoy a life that is not dependent on achieving material things as the only measure of success.

There is nothing wrong in setting targets for personal networth and a timeline to achieve it. This helps us focus and gives us something to shoot for. But don't beat yourself up and be deflated if you miss some of your intermediate targets because life is a journey to be enjoyed as well as not a series of targets to be achieved.

Your thoughts that go into and circulate around in your consciousness and sub-consciousness affect your mindset towards financial freedom. Before any human endeavour takes effect, your mind will process a thought that will lead you to do it. Sometimes our brains work so fast that you think you just react but your brain's neurons fire faster than you can blink. Hence, train your mind to react quickly and correctly to financial decisions in your life and it will take you to a higher level.

See softdrinks on supermarket shelves, avoid because of health and cost issues. Your eye catches the nice display of diamonds in the shop front, appreciate but file it away as being not practical and requiring you to work another 1-2 months to pay for it. Receive that glossy brochure from your credit card company to spend on Christmas goodies, throw it away after a 5 second glance.

Small decisions taken each day with the mindset to save, invest and grow your net worth will eventually bring you to the level where your passive income exceeds your living expenses. Then you will be able to get out of the time-money trap and use all the time you are given to enjoy your passive income to the fullest.

Be well, think well and prosper.