To pass the time as I missed my husband & no longer had to study for Auditing, I called up my best friend. She lives back in Hawaii and we've been friends for more than half of our lives. Once we hit 30 we'll be nearing the 3/4's of our lives mark.
But anyhow, she's sort of like my other half - aside from my hubby.
We talk about a lot... our relationship has obviously evolved from talking about boys, to planning out our careers and retirement plans. She has yet to have kids but since I have four & she wants kids, thats another aspect we talk about.
So we talk a lot about our plans, our dreams, what drives us.
And she pointed something out to me last night. I'm the only one of her friends that is a peer who she talks to about these things. Most of her other friends are just planning the day to day stuff, maybe month to month, focusing on surviving the day or the month.
She said she was reading a book about wealth. That the poor just focus on getting through the day, survival, they believe in scarcity. The middle class focuses on comfort, living month to month, short-range goals, and limited opportunities. The wealthy plans several years in advance, believes opportunities are endless, and I forget what she said the wealthy's goal was. Fulfillment?
That idea sparked another in my mind. The lessons I have been teaching my children... budgeting = planning, managing your time = planning.
I don't think its too far fetched to make the leap that wealth begins with planning. When you plan you are in control, you tell your money, your time, your resources what you want it to do for you. At times it can almost seem effortless.
I'm sure a lot of other things fall into play to have a truly successful life - happiness and passion for what you do are additional factors. But you still need to plan to find success. Without planning, even the best opportunities that land in your lap will not live up to their potential. Just like the person who wins the lottery, spends it all without a plan and then wonders where it all went.
Of course, life will throw you curve balls sometimes. Yet I believe those curveballs are just a test to see how badly you want something. The obstacles aren't there to keep you out, just to keep those out that don't want it badly enough.
Life would be boring without a challenge. They teach us something everytime and show us what we're made of.
All that said, I still do believe a little bit of spontaneity makes life worth living. We can plan all we want, but we also have to remain resilient and be confident in ourselves that no matter what - we can handle anything that comes our way.
We have all the tools we need at our disposal to succeed, its just a matter of recalling the right tools at the right moment.
At least, that is my belief. It may be corny but I think this is the thing that keeps me going no matter what is thrown in my way. I may not really be wealthy, but I've always been a dreamer. And all dreams need a plan in order to come true.
Wealth Starts with Planning
April 2nd, 2010 at 06:34 pm
April 2nd, 2010 at 09:11 pm 1270239101
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:03 pm 1270245782
Granny always said, "Is it trash or treasure?" when planning to make a purchase. IOW, the old saying in a nutshell..."The poor buy STUFF, the rich buy ASSETS."
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:45 pm 1270295141
My BFF moved 2 years ago 7 hours away and we talk about all that stuff too. Then there are my two sisters.....Let's just say I talk on the phone a lot, but try to do chores while I am yakking!