7 Reasons why we must achieve Financial Freedom asap

“Real wealth is not about money. Real wealth is: not having to go to meetings, not having to spend time with jerks, not being locked into status games, not feeling like you have to say ‘yes,’ not worrying about others claiming your time and energy. Real wealth is about freedom.” – James Clear

When we are young, our parents and teachers always tell us to study hard, get good grades so that we can go to good secondary schools, polys or colleges and then repeat the cycle again so that we can get a good job. A good job is one that pays a modern day slave to work hard to add value for the organisation so that the business owners and bosses can reap huge rewards. No teacher or parent would tell kids that they should discover their own interest, enjoy life, be an entrepreneur to set up own companies and that it is possible to be paid for doing nothing and even during sleep. Nobody dare to tell us that it is possible to not work and yet get paid.

Thanks to the advent of social media and technology in recent years, we are readily exposed to Youtube vlogs, financial blogs, books and investing forums that exposes the truth and benefits of financial freedom. There is no meaning in working hard for a company or our bosses. It is important for us to own income producing assets, properties and stakes in profitable businesses. We do not need to be slaves and yet be able to enjoy income. Life is to be enjoyed and lived to the fullest instead of repeating the Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm routine. I became resolute and dead set on achieving freedom before the age of 40. There are 7 key reasons why.

1. Rat Race

A rat race is a never-ending, meaningless and exhausting pursuit in order to achieve a successful career or higher income, power or fame. It refers humans living like rats, competing with one another to earn the next bite of a slice of cheese. Yet it is a common lifestyle lived by most city dwellers or people like us who trapped ourselves in a time-consuming job, working hard to earn the next pay cheque, increment, promotion, bonus in order to alleviate the burden of car loans, property, bills children and other liabilities. Toiling our lives away in jobs till official retirement age at 62 yrs old or 65 yrs old is not how we should live our lives. By achieving financial freedom early, we can escape from this rat race and charter the journey of our own lives.

2. Power and Freedom of Choice

Striving to achieve financial freedom does not necessary mean early retirement. It merely relieves us from the necessity of working for income in a fixed time and location. Financial freedom  opens up the world of options and entrusts us the power to do whatever work we want, anywhere, anytime instead of being ordered to do whatever we do not like to do. Real freedom! In other words, we only work when we are happy to do and we do only things we like.

3. Live in the Real World

Financial freedom allows us to ditch the 'real world' to enjoy the real world. The countless safaris, beaches, valleys, mountains, forests, waterfalls, coral reefs, aurora and all wonders of earths are there for us to explore and enjoy. The documents, computers, photocopier machines, projectors, chairs and desks in the office and meeting are just non-living objects that are meant for modern day slaves.

4. Redemption of Time

Time is our most valuable commodity. Assuming the average human lifespan of 79 years, we only have 2,491,344,000 seconds on this earth. And it is ticking away making us closer and closer to death. Financial freedom presents us the option to work less everyday, work part-time or retire from work at a younger age, thereby liberating more free time for us to pursue time with loved ones, time for interested activities. No more waking up early and rushing to work. No more attending meaningless meetings and events!

5. Smart Passive Income vs Dumb Active Income

Income from stock dividends, bond coupons or rental property requires little to no effort to keep it coming. In contrast, active income is derived from minds and bodies toiling away in the workplace, entertaining clients, contractors, pleasing stakeholders, managing bosses, crunching data, replying emails, generating reports plus doing a wholeload of shit for the salaries, commissions, bonuses and allowances. Rubbing salt into wounds, earned income command a high tax rate compared to portfolio income. We need to be smart to earn the smart income with minimal effort.

6. Health and Fitness
Competition in life only adds on to unnecessary stress and may have derimental effect on mental and physical health. Achieving financial freedom can relieve our competitiveness in work and we can cater more time to focus on diet, healthy intake of vegan rich and fruity meals, have more time prepare and cook our own meals. We can become fitter through workouts in gym, runs, kickboxing, yoga, jumps, hikings, skateboarding and whatever exercises we like to do. Gone are the days of packing food for a hurried meal, skipping lunches or having excuses of being too occupied with work to exercise regularly.

7. To live a Rich Life Free
We can design and live our own customised lifestyle out of passive income that we do not need to work for. This is the ideal situation of living a rich life free. Life will be richer basking in the sunset at the beach, breathing in fresh oxygen from the coconut trees, embracing the nature and spending time with loved ones. The best things in life are free Happiness, Love and Peace! They are priceless yet do not cost alot of money to purchase. Financial freedom can give us a purely Free life!

Thanks for reading! Wishing all a Happy New Year! Huat ah!

Love & Peace,
Qiongster