Independence from the rat race needs these three fixings

What makes you feel financially free is not going to be the definition of financial freedom for another. Hence, it’s important to focus on your own version of financial freedom.

Unlike popular perception financial freedom is rarely attained by earning more money. It’s more about knowing what you really want in life and being able to do it without any anxiety or without giving up on other important aspects of your life.

What makes you feel financially free is not going to be the definition of financial freedom for another. Hence, it’s important to focus on your own version of financial freedom. At the same time, there are common attributes which will help any version of financial freedom reach its logical conclusion. Here is what you need to do.

Have clarity of goal

Ultimately it’s all about your goal; what do you want to achieve in life, what is it that makes you the most happy and content? The honest answer to these questions will be as close as you come to ascertaining your life goals. Once you know this you will be able to work backwards to understand how much time and what kind of funds you need to achieve the outcome. Having clarity on what you are seeking in life is the first step towards being financially free.

Consistent lifestyle 

Unless your life goal is to continuously improve the monetary value of your lifestyle, maintaining it at a comfortable level is what is needed. Which means, for example, you needn’t rush to change the car you drive every 3-5 years or update your phone to the latest model every year.

Maintaining a comfortable lifestyle rather than living on the extremes of affordability will ensure that you are able to save, invest and accumulate what is required to cater to your life goal, eventually bringing you closer to financial freedom. Living in moderation also adds to financial freedom as you are likely to continue maintaining this once financial freedom becomes a reality.

Patience

None of this happens in a hurry. It requires planning, goal setting, budgeting, saving, investing and finally executing your plan. All this can take a lot of time. Not only do you have to spend time saving up, but also you must give your investments time to grow so that you can provide well for the planned financial freedom. This is important because, while you can do what you desire at any time, being financially free allows you do indulge in your life’s goals without wondering whether you will be able to support other aspects of your life or not.

This is also the reason why it is important to start thinking about financial freedom relatively early. Keep 10-15 years in your hands before you can get there. Once you add all the ingredients in the right proportion, cooking up financial freedom is only a matter of time.

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