Many influencers, Instagrammers and YouTubers give tips on how to save money on laundry, hairdressers, food and lots of other things.
One of the YouTubers I recently noticed explained how he lives on oatmeal and Heinz tomato soup in order to save and invest and become financially independent.
An Instagrammer posted about avoiding a competition and a party at the rowing club because he wanted to save the money.
Other people even discuss opting out of having children because – sigh – children are expensive.
One thing they all have in common is that they let money control their choices and thus also their lives, when it should be the other way around.
They should be having fun and meeting other people and enjoying life to the fullest. Money should be a servant for them to live a rich life.
Instead, they let their choices be restricted by some numbers.
I have long wondered what the real problem is with that approach… apart from them missing out on all the fun.
I have a take on that:
If money rules over so much in your life, you have become a slave to money.
You should turn it around.
Instead of shaving the cost down and having a Scrooge-like approach to life, you should focus fully on knowing and aiming for the type of life you want to live, and then go for it – no matter what it costs.
It must be a goal to attract whatever money it takes to live that life. Instead of cutting your life down to fit the money.
We only have one life.
When faced with these everyday choices, ask yourself:
Do you really want to eat oatmeal? Would you rather go out and eat with your friends? Do you want to party at the rowing club? Do you want to have children?
You should even go a few steps further and ask: If everything were possible, where would you like to live, what would you like to eat, and what would you like to do?
The people who become slaves to money forget to ask themselves these fundamental questions before making the calculator delete those opportunities.
You should make money your servant, not your master.
You have to set big, passionate goals and achieve them.
It may be goals that you don’t know how to land because these goals are inspiring and will make you grow.
If you delete things from the list because of money, you’re letting money be your master.
Let’s take a look at when money is your servant and when it’s your master.
Money is your master if…
- You let money decide whether you should strive for something.
- You let money decide which job you should take.
- You refrain from doing things you love because of the cost.
- You refrain from getting an education because of the cost.
- You look at the price before you look at the item.
- You avoid discussing financial issues with people in your life.
- You often come into conflict about money with people in your life.
- You run out of money at the end of the month.
- You habitually spend more money than you earn.
- You hide behind the door when charities ask for donations.
- You worry about money.
- Your investments (or lack thereof) can keep you awake at night.
Money is your servant (and you are its master) if:
- You understand how much power you yourself have to create your life… including your income and your wealth.
- You get money to work for you and not the other way around.
- You spend money to support your personal growth and development.
- You let money flow because you understand that what you send out comes back.
- You have a feeling that you’ll have enough to create the life that you want.
- You have not chosen a job or career based on how much you can earn.
- You spend time thinking about what you want to create in the next phase of your life.
- You understand that you can spend money to help you get to the next level.
Here’s What to Do About It
Did any of the examples hit you in a sore spot?
Maybe it’s time to review your relationship with money.
You need to focus on increasing your income – and preferably from multiple sources – than on saving to invest.
The good news is that money is always on the move. If you’re looking for it, it’s looking for you too.
Money has no national borders, no need for sleep, and no language barriers. Money doesn’t care about your sex, your race, your skin color, or your age.
Money gets you the things you want. It’s an incredible servant if you let it be.
It’s about setting huge and ambitious goals and achieving them. Always ask what before you ask how much.
Life is not about curling up. It is about growing and unfolding.
Remember, a single good investment or business idea can create high return, and that can be the thing that gets the ball rolling for you.
Don’t forget to download my e-book Free Yourself where you’ll learn to invest as one of the best – super charge yourself through the plateaus. You can download it here.
