Posted on April 22, 2009 - by PanzerGrenadier

Developing an unconventional life towards financial freedom

Photo by Shahram Sharif

The more I experience the journey towards financial freedom, the more I realise it is to live an unconventional life.

Why unconventional?

Conventional wisdom teaches us to pursue materialism, to benchmark our success by seeing how big our homes are. How much income
our careers generate and how are we keeping score in the game of “keeping up with your neighbours”.

Think back at your previous family gathering during Christmas, Lunar New Year, Deepavali or Hari Raya Puasa. Were the family discussions about how to live a meaningful life aimed at pursuing your life goals or was it a comparison of who is in what job, drawing what type of pay and living in what type of home?

There is nothing wrong with such topics, it is expected of the mindset of people living in Singapore Inc. But such conversations doesn’t help you discover more about yourself, more about what motivates you in life and more about how you can go about being financially free to pursue your dreams and passions.

How’s Life?

I once asked a neighbour of mine, “how’s life” and was floored by his honest answer. “Not so good” was an understatement. His unborn child didn’t make it to full-term and he lost his job around the same time. Yet, he could tell me that he was okay and still taking it one step at a time.

That brief conversation reminded me of what’s truly important in life. It is our relationships with family and loved ones. It is about health and happiness of ourselves and our loved ones. Financial freedom is an enabler but not the ends in itself. Read more…

Related posts:

1. On Financial Freedom
2. Financial freedom: it’s a mindset, really!
3. Reviewing Your Lens Towards Financial Freedom