Ask people what’s stopping them from having financial freedom and many will probably offer a completely logical response. They may tell you about their lack of income, incompetent financial advisors or slow property markets, the rising cost of living, stiff business competition, or stifling government policies.
The only trouble with this is that creating wealth has nothing to do with logic. Think about it; if logic was the answer to our financial well-being, wouldn’t we have created solutions to all our money problems by now?
No, the realm of wealth creation is not logical. In fact, creating the right riches for you can often feel as fantastical as a trip into the Land of Oz.
Along the yellow brick road
As with many facets of modern life, wealth creation has become a very external process. We have come to believe that the answers to financial freedom lie outside of us; that the key to wealth waits for us at the end of that Yellow Brick Road. Some chase fool-proof get rich schemes. Some dream of a far-off inheritance or a lottery win. Many, many more give all of their power away and rely on others – spouses, family members or financial experts – to make the right financial choices for them.
We all have a desire – a great property portfolio, a thriving business, a huge nest-egg, (a heart, a brain, courage!) – and too many of us are waiting for some magical Wizard to gift it to us. But as Dorothy and her friends discovered, relying on someone or something out there to bring you what you need will only lead to disappointment.
I always say, the only thing stopping you from having financial freedom is your relationship with money. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is, you have the ability to create the wealth you desire. The key to financial freedom is already within you.
As Glynda explained to Dorothy – you’ve always had the power, you just have to learn it for yourself.
Are you willing?
The only thing stopping you from creating financial freedom is the willingness to accept that your financial freedom is not anybody else’s responsibility. It all comes down to you.
Are you willing to be honest?
The most important, and often the hardest, step toward wealth creation is finding the grace and courage to be brutally honest with yourself. Are you willing to acknowledge everything that is true about yourself? Not everybody can. Start by truthfully acknowledging your beliefs around money. Look honestly at your habits and behaviours. Vitally, learn to be honest with yourself about your fears and self-imposed limitations.
Are you willing to put yourself first?
Where do you sit on your priority list? Unless and until you are the most important person in your world, you will continue to make decisions that are detrimental to your financial wellbeing. This includes the ability to value yourself enough, that you are willing to say “no” to yourself in times of impulse spending. And remember, honouring yourself first is the best way to be in a position to support others.
Are you willing to not have the answers?
Our modern society is obsessed with logic but, as I mentioned above, logic is not the key to creating the right riches for you. Are you willing to be illogical? Are you willing to perceive that there are financial possibilities that you have not yet thought of? When it comes to creating greater wealth, it is difficult to overstate the power of a question. Asking questions opens your mind to new (and often illogical) possibilities and solutions. It allows us to step out of the limits of what we already believe to be true, and opens our eyes to completely new avenues for growth and prosperity. The key is to ask the question – What am I not getting about this situation? How can I create extra income now? What will this decision ultimately create for me? – but not look for the answer. Instead, let your natural sixth sense guide you toward the best decisions and actions.
Are you willing to create more wealth than you believe possible?
A vital part of being honest with yourself, is to acknowledge the financial limits you have imposed upon yourself or (more accurately) adopted as your own from your parents, family and community. Are you actually willing to be incredibly wealthy? Or does this trigger a point of view in you about wealth, worthiness or fairness? It is possible for you to make decisions that can create great wealth – but you first have to be willing to be that wealthy.
Despite what you have probably been taught to believe, there is nothing out there that can bring you lasting wealth if you don’t have a healthy relationship with money, and with yourself. The power to create the right riches for you lies within you. Being willing to acknowledge this truth and accept this responsibility, is the first important step in creating financial freedom.