Creating a Lifestyle of Financial Independence, Whatever That Means to You

The following is a guest post. Enjoy! 

This is a personal goal, but it’s something that a lot of people share. Financial independence means different things to different people. For some, it means never working again. To me, it means doing the work that I choose, that gives me pleasure, and never putting enormous energy into something I don’t believe in. Because let’s face it, many of us are raised in a system where we’ve got to pour all of our energy into pursuits we care nothing about. That first dawned on me in high school at my private school and at my first job at a fast food chicken restaurant.

Lots of us just get used to doing things we hate. “That’s life,” we say. And that isn’t wrong. That’s a principle of many philosophies and religion. Buddhists hold as a central tenet that life, itself, is suffering. Now, while I don’t mind sitting down with that thought and mulling it over for awhile, I’m not going to let that sort of thinking lock me in to life and work that is boring, painful, or soulsucking. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to work, or even work really really hard. But it means I’m going to work for something that I feel matters.

But in order to do that, you’ve got to be able to pay the rent. If you already have a job that you love, that affords you a lifestyle you enjoy, then congratufreakinlations. Not everybody is there, though. For those of you who are not, and who don’t have a specific direction in mind to get out of this cycle, here are some practical steps.

• Replace Horrible Tasks With Less Horrible Tasks. If you hate your job, get a job you hate less. If you can’t find one, simple try to get one that pays better. If you can’t do that and your job is draining you of all energy, quit. Quitting puts you in survival mode. You’ll have to take stock of yourself, your skills, and ways you can work to survive. I did it once, and started my writing career which, within a year, had doubled my income from my previous job. Quitting is extreme, but it’s better to accept lower pay for something that doesn’t sap your life force. You’ll have energy to make better decisions, to help yourself along, than you will if you stay at a terrible job just for the money. Slowly find ways to replace income, and replace those with better fit or better paying tasks, till you are busy with stuff that at least pays well and hopefully gives you enjoyment.
• Activate Your Own Creativity. Find something you can create, and create it, no matter what. You can try different things: starting a blog, doing woodworking, writing and recording songs, starting a small business. But stick to it for a year and see where it leads you. Don’t put any financial expectations on this work, just let it develop. In time, chances are you’ll be making money on this thing, perhaps enough to replace your normal income with.

The end goal is fulfillment. If you enjoy your work, you’ll be a lot closer to enjoying your life. You won’t have to sustain an expensive lifestyle to give yourself happiness shots in the arm every few hours. You’ll just be happy. From there, financial independence comes a lot easier. You can save and invest much easier.

Savings and Investment will further buoy your new lifestyle. You won’t be so worried about bills, and you’ll have extra income and financial security from your investments. Eventually, investments like the ones I’ve mentioned may bring in a lot of extra income, enough to replace some of the leftover work that you may have to do but don’t enjoy. In a way, this is a financial dream, but it’s a dream that thousands of people are living. You’ve got to work and make it a priority, but in the end you are the priority. This is your life. Make it work the way you want.