Houston, we have a problem… and it ain’t me!
With the national debt sky-rocketing, politicians running and hiding, the total lack of competence in any party, and the occupy movement becoming violent, it seems like the United States is going to hell in a hand basket!
I joke with friends and family that this is the end of our nation as we know it – but it very well may be true.
It seems that the 99% everyone is referring to, means “Let’s spend 99% of our time, effort and energy on proving ‘we’re right’ instead of coming up with a solution!”
Let’s talk about solutions today.
Now I don’t have them all – but I’ve got some! Some solutions that have worked for me and people I consult and do business with around the world.
It doesn’t take much to take control of your financial destiny. If you’ve heard my story, it was only 6 years ago that I was homeless in Chicago. What a difference a few new habits can make.
The first step to anything is knowledge. My last post was about people who are swimming through the sea of knowledge and coming out dry – don’t be that person.
The knowledge everyone seems to be lacking right now is financial education. I really can’t say where it started but this younger generation (my generation) have all bought into a “fact” that says if you go to school and get a degree you are guaranteed a good job, benefits, a house, cars, insurance, and many other things.
Whoever started that rumor should probably be slapped!
Let’s clear this up: you are not guaranteed a job because you have a degree. You are not guaranteed benefits because you “deserve them”. You are not guaranteed houses, cars, and bling because you are an American.
Just like every society before us, and ever society after us, these things are earned. And going to class hung over and writing a paper or two isn’t going to get you these things!
Now don’t get me wrong. I am all for education. And I know that people put massive amounts of work into their degrees – I deeply respect that.
But the one thing that’s missing from that equation: financial education!
A guy comes to me and says “Mr. Hilgart, I’m working hard, I’m trying my best, but I’m just not getting very far.”
I say to him “Well, what’s the problem?”
He responds “The government taxes me way too much, the corporation won’t hire me, the rich are stealing my opportunities, the doctors charge me too much to take care of my health, gasoline costs too much, healthy food is too expensive, I can’t very well focus on building my life when there is so much turmoil going on in the world!”
“Wow, well that’s a big list of big problems! But you’re missing one thing…”
“What’s that?” he says.
“YOU aren’t on the list… and YOU are your biggest road block to success!”
Regardless if it is “their” fault or not – here’s the trick: can you change other people? No. Can you change yourself? YES~!
The first step in financial education, personal development, or creating success is claiming personal responsibility.
“I will educate myself.”
“I will earn more.”
“I won’t put my financial welfare in the hands of others.”
“I will do whatever it takes to give my family and myself the best chance for success!”
The problems come in when a guy says thing like,
“YOU didn’t educate me well enough.”
“YOU don’t pay me enough.”
“YOU got me to sign something I didn’t want to sign.”
“YOU should be taking care of my family and me!”
Try saying those lines out loud, don’t they just feel wrong? Forget the city, forget the country, forget the world – your number one responsibility is you and your family.
Just like you can’t love someone else until you love yourself first, you cannot take care of the world unless you take care of yourself first.
Yes, we should strive to take care of one another – but don’t start that UNTIL you have yourself taken care of, UNTIL you have your family taken care of.
This means; don’t give away all of your money. Don’t sign things you don’t understand. Don’t go to school to hope and pray there will be a job for you somewhere. Don’t buy things you can’t afford. Always be conscious of the return on investment. Demand the value of a dollar for every dollar spent.
As a whole, our country did not get into this mess because we were completely responsible. Heck, I don’t know if we can get out of it – but I do know one thing: if you take responsibility for yourself – you will get out of any mess that you’re in!
Until next time, have a FANTASTIC day!
Stephen
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