13 Simple Money Habits For Freedom Freedom – Change Your Life Forever
These are the habits that I’ve developed and used to gain financial freedom. It took me 10 years to grow my net worth from zero to enough.
Work for me is optional. I have these habits to thank for that.
I designed each habit to support an important part of your financial journey. They cover different areas of your financial life and different times. It’s a long road and it’s important to support yourself when times are good and bad. When your motivation is high and low.
The real power comes when you’ve integrated all the habits into your life. Habits have a unique power. You do them without thinking and with very little effort. The day will come when you worry very little about your finances. At the same time, your net worth will start growing faster than you ever imagined.
It takes time to integrate all thirteen habits into your life. Make no mistake, the effort is high at first and it will take you weeks to adopt each habit. Most people quit along the way. Most people give up when they don’t see huge results immediately. Most people never find financial freedom. But if you’re reading this you’re not most people!
I programmed each habit to build and support previous habits. The system supports the right actions, the right behavior, and the right thinking. Below each habit is a brief description. Read through the list and then jump into the guide of habit #1 for more details.
1. Set personal finance OKRs
Goal setting is the first and most critical habit. If you don’t know where you are going you will never get there.
I like to harness the powerful goal-setting framework known as OKR. This framework helped Google become the world’s largest search engine. The leaders of Google still use OKR today to manage and grow their business.
2. Spend thoughtfully and seek value
Life costs money. There is no getting around that. Careful spending will speed up your financial freedom journey. Once you’re there it ensures that you stay there!
Bringing awareness to your spending is a key piece of the puzzle. Many people don’t actually know what they spend their money on.
Focus on getting good value with your spending. It’s not always wise to get the cheapest option. Buying quality durable goods and reliable service is worth it.
3. Track your monthly cashflow
This habit turns your money into a business. There are no more surprises when you know exactly how much you earn, spend, and save each month. This habit may be the most fun. The math and spreadsheet nerds will pick this habit up in no time!
Maximizing your cash flow is the first giant leap toward building wealth.
4. Invest the difference and be an owner of assets
Once you master your cash flow, you begin to save money. Now you need to do something with that money! Keeping it in your checking or savings account won’t build wealth.
To build wealth and grow your net worth you need to be an investor and an owner of assets.
5. Optimize your financial levers
Optimizing and fine-tuning your financial life is a never-ending process. Like a beautiful garden, you need to tend to your finances. Keeping things neat and tidy helps you focus on the bigger picture.
Your big financial levers are your income, your spending, and your investments. There will be times when it’s best to focus on one and times when you need to focus on all three.
6. Be an advocate for your career and invest in yourself
Nobody cares about your career other than you. Despite what your boss may say, they don’t truly care. You need to advocate for yourself. Be true to yourself and ask for what you want! It’s amazing to see what’s given to the people that ask.
Investing in yourself is always a good idea. You are the creator of your financial freedom journey. Give yourself the tools to build a work of art.
7. Practice being grateful
It took me a long time to understand the value of this habit. It felt so squishy at first. During the last few years, I’ve grown to love and value this habit more and more. There is so much in your life to be grateful for today!
To see that, you need to make time to look for it. This habit takes daily practice. I say practice because, in the beginning, you’ll stink at it. Take 15 minutes each morning and find somewhere quiet to think and breathe.
8. Program your state of mind for greatness
This one is fun! A great day starts with preparation. A great day starts with high levels of energy and emotion. Very few people roll out of bed and carpe diem.
Being in a good head space before you take on the world can make a world of difference.
Start each day by bringing greatness into your life. Beautiful words, inspiring videos, and exercise are tools to get you into a powerful state!
9. Raise your standards on a regular basis
Success is a moving target! There is nothing like setting a milestone and getting there. It’s exhilarating to set an objective and exceed it!
As you make progress is so important to keep setting goals. Progress is the key to happiness and to progress on a regular basis you need to raise your standards!
Every year, every month, every week, and every day you need to keep raising your standards!
10. Nourish your mind by being a perpetual learner
Never stop learning. That’s the long and short of it. Learning is a lifelong pursuit and true joy.
Greatness requires this habit.
11. Dream big and write it down
This may be the most powerful of all the habits.
I learned this from Think and Grow Rich many years ago. The power is only accessible if you believe in it. That’s the key.
Dream big, bigger than you think possible. The truth of the matter is that your brain is tiny. Your mushy little brain is nothing compared to the infinite wisdom of the universe. Remove all the doubt and dream of the life you want to live!
Use a pen and paper for this. No computer, no phone, or tablet. Grab some of that good old fashion paper.
Write down your dreams. Your future self will thank you.
12. Celebrate the wins
Don’t forget to smell the roses and don’t forget to celebrate your wins! Enjoy your success. That’s kind of the point.
I’ll state the obvious here, don’t be an asshole about it, but celebrate your wins. It trains your tiny little brain to want more! Your brain likes good emotions, it likes endorphins and norepinephrine.
Celebrating gets those chemicals flowing and your subconscious wanting more!
13. Seek states of flow
Towards the end of your journey to financial freedom, this will come into focus. This is also the bridge to the next phase of your life. It helps answer the question, “Well now that I don’t have to work for a paycheck what am I going to do?”
Being in a flow state of mind is the best. By definition, it is a beautiful state of being. Bringing awareness to what gets you into flow changes your life.
This one requires homework and extra reading to comprehend.
Next Steps
These habits have the potential to change your life. The keyword here is potential. Remember high school physics and potential energy? You need to put these habits into motion to get the energy!
It’s critical that you take action on a regular and fumble through adopting these habits as I did.
Daily action is the key!
You have to try and try again. With every sunrise, there is work to do! With every sunset, there is progress to be grateful for.
Building a life of financial freedom is no small task and it’s important to enjoy the journey.
Once you achieve your goals, that’s when the real work starts. That’s when you’ll need to work to design an even bigger life. One that’s focused on fulfillment, and on being in states of flow. Life after financial freedom becomes less about you and more about what you can give to this world. I can’t wait to see you there. There are a lot of important things I need your help with!
Ready to get started? Yes? Great!
First things first. Let’s set some goals!