Humans created the idea of money.
Monkeys don’t know what it is. Even elephants have no idea. So mastering money is about understanding human psychology more than it’s about becoming a business mogul with a cigar in your mouth.
What leads to money are ideas.
Ideas interrupt your financial programming and help you upgrade to the next level of net worth (if you’re open to it).
In the last 5 years my financial life has entered the realm of the top 1%. I believe these ideas are what led to that transformation. See if any of these ideas can create a money breakthrough for you.
- Not owning financial assets is the number one cause of poverty.
- Elon Musk isn’t the reason there is financial inequality. Blaming billionaires is stupid and immature. It’s a low IQ move. Personal responsibility creates true wealth.
- Spending money and getting into debt steals your time away. Do the opposite — use money to buy more time. That’s how you buy back your freedom and increase happiness.
- 90% of wealthy people own businesses. Read that again.
- High interest rates are now impossible because of the huge debt countries have. Yes, interest rates have risen faster than ever — and they’ll come crashing down again. That’s when the best investing opportunities occur.
- Flow states are a money hack.
- Index fund investing is overrated. When you look at the returns after inflation, currency manipulation, and taxes … they’re much lower than the gurus preach on social media.
- A house may not be the best investment in the world. All the extra debt creates stress which steals energy from other areas of life. Think carefully before getting a huge mortgage. Maybe you can live smaller and still be happier. Or rent for longer until your investments grow big enough to provide financial security.
- Currency is issued by countries. The currency supply is legitimately manipulated through stimulus, quantitative easing, bond-buying programs, and infrastructure bills. The money you hold becomes worth less without you knowing it.
- House prices aren’t what they seem. If you remove all the stimulus and money printing then most people’s homes didn’t increase in value at all.
- Most of the time money saved in a bank account makes you less interest than the cost of inflation.
- The true cost of inflation isn’t known because the government uses old school surveys to measure price data. That data ages fast and is a terrible indicator of true price rises. Use a website like Truflation to see true inflation — it’ll shock you.
- Not automating money to be invested monthly into assets like stocks is why most people will never reach financial freedom. Automate.
- Taxes are the biggest expense in our lifetime. And most people spend peanuts on getting a good accountant. Legally minimize tax.
- Thinking about how much tax you pay all the time is a head f*ck. And avoiding paying tax creates more stress than if you just paid it and focused on making more money.
- The answer to financial problems is to make more money. Cutting expenses and being on a never-ending budget has limited effects, and inflation and layoffs ensure this strategy stops working at some point.
- A side hustle is how you give yourself a pay rise. A boss or employer is not dying to give you more money for doing the same job.
- Financial freedom isn’t about becoming a millionaire. It’s about having the time to work on whatever you like without caring how much money it generates.
- Having kids costs a small fortune. But the joy you get from it far outweighs the daycare bills.
- Financial success can become a source of misery if your self-worth is tied to your net worth.
- Beyond about $200k-$300k more money doesn’t lead to more happiness. Make enough to live a good life and then stop chasing bank balances.
- Hanging around people who’ve mastered their finances is a life hack. Just watch what they do and take inspiration from it.
- Get a financial education. It’s the best investment you’ll ever make. Know how stocks, foreign exchange, and bonds work.
- Boring businesses make the most money. Stop chasing AI trends and just start a one-person service business that uses your 9–5 skills to sell to more after-hours-customers through the internet.
- When money isn’t a problem it’s easier to make decisions without thinking about the dollar amount all the time. Free the mind.
- Trust fund babies are some of the most unlikely people to succeed in the world. Their family’s money took away all the obstacles so now they don’t have to fail. Failure is what teaches you to become wealthy.
- Bankruptcy is a status symbol. Those who’ve experienced it have more wisdom than those who avoid ever losing money.
- Some level of risk must be taken if you ever want to make enough money to retire early. The trick is diversification. Allocate money to different asset classes and make sure no one investment can wipe you out financially.
- Those who have financial freedom are more interesting than billionaires who work long hours and sit in back-to-back meetings.
- The trend of don’t buy $5 coffees is the exact psychology that keeps society poor.
- Making money is easier than it’s ever been because of the internet. Only those without an internet connection have an excuse.
- Economists and central banks (like the Federal Reserve) are always wrong with their predictions. Don’t base financial decisions on what they say.
- Pessimists make you poor. Optimists lead you to ideas that make you wealthy. Choose wisely. Often economic doomerism is just a status game designed to get your attention or even promote a paid newsletter.
- Warren Buffett says interest rates power everything. So pay attention to them. And assume that interest rates can go in the opposite direction at any time, so be prepared either way.
- A luxury car is the dumbest way to spend money. It’s the one “asset” that is guaranteed to tank in price thanks to depreciation. Buy appreciating assets instead.
- Your career value is based on your skills. Learn new skills to make more money. Invest in yourself as it makes you more money than dollar-cost averaging into the S&P 500 stock index.
- Earn money with your mind, not your time. Mental work over physical work is how you earn the most.
You don’t need to agree with these ideas, but at least study a few of them. Each contains a mental unlock that’ll help you get a step closer to financial freedom. How you see money is how you see the world.
This article is for informational purposes only, it should not be considered financial, tax or legal advice. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.
