Financial freedom: To decide IF you want to work

If work is your hobby, you never have to work a single day in your life!
I had a conversation with a relative of mine who has his own business and enjoys doing it. He is debt free and enjoys a comfortable life. For him, financial freedom is not so critical because he likes what he does and enjoys interacting with his customers. To him, work something that provides well for him and his family and he will continue as long as he can.

I too would like to be in an organisation where my skills are valued, my work is value-creating and where the remuneration package is fair. But it is a challenge to find a job that is able to satisfy on so many aspects of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. For the record, my job isn't that bad and the remuneration is decent for the regular hours I work. I don't need to travel for overseas assignments. I do count my blessings for this current job.

Perspective on work-life changes with parenthood
I realise that as I embark on a new phase of life to that of being a father, my perspective of work-life balance changes. Being a parent means you have dependents to support. Being a parent means you come 2nd to your child and spouse. Being a parent means you no longer can be selfish and think only of yourself because you child relies on you for her every need.

Being a parent means you have to be there physically and emotionally for your child and yet deliver on your job through whatever means available, phone, remote VPN back to office mail servers and the like. As the responsibilities of being a parent dawn upon me, I start to go to work with a renewed vigour, to be early for work as I also need to go home on time to prepare for my daughter's impending arrival and to support my spouse who will be doing most of the actual work in bringing my daughter to this world.

But as I continue with my job as the means to build up my financial freedom, I begin to explore even more ways that I can be financially free but continuing with the fundamentals (which some may have heard ad-nausem!) :

• Live within your means
• Save and invest
• Grow your nest-egg
• Expand your means

My weekend blogging now has become a pleasure rather than a chore because it brings me closer to my destination. I also enjoy the process of writing, thinking and documenting my thoughts down for the time when my memory starts to fail me.

Financial freedom means different things to different people. It is for me, the ability to decide IF you want to work. That, truly is what it is all about.

Be well and prosper.