You pay the franchiser everything you make. Then achieving financial freedom might be hard to come by unless you take drastic measures through strategic change.
When all are in the same boat, it's time for a change
You make a strategic change because you’ve learnt through trial and error, also called experience, what would more likely suit you. So you find another endeavour you much prefer as it offers you greater opportunity to come closer to your dreams.
If you’re like the above person, then pay attention to what a friend of mine just did inspite of the hard economic times yesterday.
Let’s call him Ross. Ross the real estate agent despite putting his entire heart and soul into this franchise found costs spiralling out of control. Just about all his gross profits became frnachise claw back. This man pounded the streets and was diligenty plugging his beat for leads, handing out tips and tricks to sell your property and even shaking the hands that may list with him.
Then at last, he had enough of working for that real estate franchise. Instead he struck out and went to a much better real estate company, without all these incredible fees, and they provide just about all the material needs he wanted without paying a dime for them. It was also a different marketing and promotional strategy. He’s even creating a web marketing strategy. In essence, he can do what it takes without breaking his bank account. Will that be the turning point?
I think yes. Everything that can be done is being done, with the focus of getting a tremendous following. This is social marketing at its best.
If something prevents you from reaching your dreams of financial freedom, strategic change is your best answer. All you need are determination and courage – success and money will come.
“Dad, what was that you said you wanted to do for us.” It’s called achieving financial freedom. I said looking into this twinkling pair of eyes. He was seven (and a number of years ago) and getting very curious about many things including money and belongings (as in his toys).
Popping a marshmallow in his mouth, we continued our chat sitting cosily by the fireplace. You see, not too long ago, after you were born, I didn’t need to work too much if I didn’t want to. We had enough money to get what we needed. Daddy had worked for many years and made enough money, stashed away so that Daddy, Mummy and you do not have to worry about not having enough money. We would always have enough. That is what we could call financial freedom.
“You mean if I want that new Thomas Train Set I could have it?” That and good food, good schools good clothes, a roof over our heads. Things like that.
“But right now, we only rent and Mummy bought another house again. And why doesn’t Mummy want to live with us?” That’s the way things get to sometimes you know. Sometimes adults are like kids and the real kids have to go without many things. So that’s why I want to achieve that financial freedom again so that we can have all that stuff we want and need. “Including a house?” Yes…
“But Dad, how did you become financially err… freedom – free? You work in your own company now right?” Yes, and did you like the allowance when you do some little work for me? Well, it’s the same thing if you do it over and over again and then I get more people and more business. Within some years I can again make enough money if I’m careful to invest it properly, to achieve financial freedom again.
“Dad, I like being here with you. Mummy never talks to me like that when I visit her.” And another thing about financial freedom. The freedom part gives you time to do what you want if you wish for it.
“You mean I get to play with you more?” You already have your Dad most of the day, but yes, we’ll be doing more things together. It’s very important for a family to be doing more things together, like fishing.
“I love fishing. I get so many fish. Can I help you get financial freedom?” Well, you can wish for it with all your heart and be the best kid a Dad could ever have.
“Then I wish for it with all my heart that we achieve financial freedom.” Thank you baby. Now, it’s two more nights to Christmas. Time for bed buddy.
Advocates of financial freedom are quite clearly divided into 3 camps. In reality, only 1 works best.
1) Financial Freedom Slowly. This is almost a strategy of a dollar at a time. The advantage is that you can start to save and earn interest without really being involved with many things in the world – if you can.
This strategy assumes you avoid the luxuries and inflationary pressures of this world and live in a place where you are immune to spiraling costs. Also this is a conservative, little risk program of income earning and assuming you do not lose your assets in a financial crash or recession.
It is supposed you save a penny or a dollar at a time and invest it over time – quite a mundane way of building wealth but it is theoretically possible, if really impractical in most cases.
You see, by the time most people get onto such a program, they really need to save by the hundreds of dollars weekly and make drastic cuts to their lifestyles. This then almost always defeats the purpose, though not impossible, of attaining your financial freedom.
2) Financial Freedom By Using Managed Funds. This can be powerful in some cases over a long period of time where inflation is low and the asset purchase in the funds was at the correct time.
Of course, everyone has heard of the widow and orphan who saved and penny pinched all their lives to invest in blue chip stocks for 50 years and became millionaires. The problem here is of course, they are now retiring and really, are they able to enjoy this life now? And then there are those giant fund management companies that vanish.
Then there are the real statistics of underperforming fund managers who in reality are managing the funds on behalf of their businesses – not your retirement. The results over the last 30 years are quite unimpressive to say the least.
Then there is the freedom at 55 or some arbitrary number. Of course you can plan for a retirement or a goodly sum paid to you after 30 years and you can enjoy your life thereafter. But remember, $50,000 today may only be worth the value of $15,000 after inflation – barely enough to buy yourself a decent car. Also, do the math, you’d be better off investing that amount in a higher performing interest bearing account. It is wise to buy a life insurance for your family’s security, but get out of it once you no longer need it financially.
3) Financial Freedom – Plan It Yourself This is the way to achieve financial freedom I adhere to. You will know what you need according to your life style and no one else should tell you. Remember, once you’ve done this for 5 years, you are almost assured that you have far more good quality experience than the one you’re talking to for advice at the bank.
But starting on such a program is most certainly quite scary at first. The very first thing you should do is to educate yourself. Learn what you can about what investment strikes your fancy – but be realistic and start where you feel COMPETENT enough in first. This where your education in that particular investment comes in handy.
Remember that education is the elimination of risk. Putting your money in something you do not know about and income that is less than expenditure is very high risk.
Always diversify all your investments as a strategy. This is your sovereign journey – how quickly do you want to get there? Divide them into:
a) Security like a life insurance,
b) A savings/bonds with a decent interest rate make sure it’s more than the inflationary and tax rate combined,
c) Higher income investments – only if you have good solid knowledge about it,
d) This is where you can really make it work for you. Educate yourself in a business or series of businesses for yourself and not for your boss. If you already have a job, make sure this works to replace and overcome your job before you leave it…
e) If you make enough and need the security of not having to be scrutinized to death and be at risk of losing it all to some form of lawsuit, set yourself up with a reputable offshore holdings.
TIP: Do it legally with a specialist competent offshore business lawyer or tax expert – do it all properly to avoid any inadvertant jail time or red flags.
Achieving Financial Freedom is often defined as having enough of everything in your life to live the way you are happy doing them.
Look at the above statement again carefully. Let your mind and heart wander for a moment. In fact, take your time. I can guarantee you that the list of your requirements can be genuine but incredibly long and financially impossible for most. It will be something that 99.999% of you will never be able to achieve.
Ironically, all those things you think you need are simply what you THINK you want and simply not what you really NEED or would practically want.
So, even defining your version of Financial Freedom can be difficult. Often it leads to people wondering if there is a art of achieving financial freedom.
Why?
Simply because you do not yet know what you really want and need to be comfortable to live that way for the rest of your life or at least for the foreseeable future. That’s because, you may wish to take up other interests after your current ones fade away.
Financial Freedom Seem To Change With Time.
As a child, I always thought financial freedom means never having to worry about money. Then as I started to grow up, achieving financial freedom became a challenge. It became a mystery. Then I found defining financial freedom confusing. Why was it so?
Achieving A Better Quality Of Life
Finding the life style you can live with is ultimately challenging. Events in life never go according to plan nor does it unfold according to our desires. Turbulence like the ups and downs in life is constantly changing.
Let me explain.
You’ve laid plans as you progress in your career or business and started on your way to plan for a family and then retirement. Then some disaster hits you or a loved one. Maybe the economy goes into a tail spin and your stocks with it.
Then you need to do it all over again, but if and only if you have not exhausted all your courage to do it again. And sometimes, you do find something to seed that battle all over again.
Do you remember those little eyes filling with tears because you could not afford that hot new toy?
Do you still feel the little cold hands because you could not buy a new warmer coat?
Do you still remember your stumble because there was only enough food for the little one?
One More Time – Again.
After many years of trying, I had finally found my own answers. Just like everyone else before me and after me, finding my own freedom is a special choice and an even more special journey.
Make no mistake, the majority of people, many financial experts agree on the 96% margin, do not achieve financial freedom zen because they give up too easily. Their tolerance for failure is too low.
Let’s take a peek at this typical real life scenario. In a hall full of people in a personal / business development seminar remember what the most common complaints are about? You’ll notice almost as a chorus the participants will declare things being too difficult or they can’t do this or they don’t know how to find things out…etc.
Don’t you get the feeling that nearly everyone has no determination to get ahead? They all have reasons why they are not getting ahead. They are full of excuses not of their Failure, but why they do not wish to Succeed.
And another amazing statistic, “If you are among those few who realize this, then you are very likely to be one of the success stories.”
Mind you, I never said it would be easy, to the contrary, most of us attaining Financial Freedom will have to climb our Everests, but we are the breed that will do it once, twice, thrice and as long as we live and breathe.
Have I got your attention now?
Tell me your story. I’ve told you something of mine.
Out of the spotlight and almost unseen, Brazil primarily the great city of Sao Paulo has been growing millionaires very rapidly. People normally hear about financial and other gang related troubles for this Amazonian country – but Forbe’s tell us something different. It shows that Sao Paulo’s residents have been building wealth at a tremendous rate. Many have indeed achieved or are achieving financial freedom.
We have gotten used to hearing about India and China spawning seemingly overnight millionaires. Just very recently Sao Paulo residents have started on that same route too. Investing at the right time and the right place certainly pays off.
Watch the video and see the apparent wealth that has built up around the city. It might be a new playground for the wealthy after all. Perhaps, this will help fuel the Amazon’s protection rather than having that mighty Jungle be reduced to nothing. As it is the Amazon is certainly much reduced from even 20 years ago.
“Dad, what was that you said you wanted to do for us.” It’s called achieving financial freedom. I said looking into this twinkling pair of eyes. He was seven (and a number of years ago) and getting very curious about many things including money and belongings (as in his toys).
Advocates of financial freedom are quite clearly divided into 3 camps. In reality, only 1 works best.
Achieving Financial Freedom is often defined as having enough of everything in your life to live the way you are happy doing them. 
Out of the spotlight and almost unseen, Brazil primarily the great city of Sao Paulo has been growing millionaires very rapidly. People normally hear about financial and other gang related troubles for this Amazonian country – but Forbe’s tell us something different. It shows that Sao Paulo’s residents have been building wealth at a tremendous rate. Many have indeed achieved or are 
