You cannot have financial freedom without financial discipline- Part 3

compounding, Financial Independence, Habits, Human Brain, mindset

In yesterday’s post I wrote about how the urgent tasks took over my schedule and missed out on buying the asset whose deadline was yesterday.

Actually the middle class / service class people mistake busyness for success. For us the incoming email or phone is more important than taking financial education.

We keep watching the mail as if the next PO or promotion or next big challenge, is just about to come and it does not come that day, then it does not come the next day and we end up wasting one more day and another and suddenly we realize life has just passed us by.

The rich on the other hand first and foremost understand the discipline they have to follow. And it has nothing to do with education. Even if you discount the likes of Bill Gates, there are lots of others who don’t have college education but have become millionaires.

One of the reasons I think is that a University Degree makes us specialized in some specific area and we like to solve challenges in those areas. The human brain is wired to get attracted to familiar faces, familiar environments. So when we see an email with a familiar topic, we get immediately attracted to it.

Compounding only works in the long term, so you have to ensure that you start very early in life. If like most of us you start late then you have to ensure you are systematically investing over long durations without a break. Financial freedom takes discipline.

To bring in that discipline you need to ensure you eliminate the usage of your brain. Things should happen without your brain taking a decision. That’s where an automatic system helps. Today technology allows it so you should take advantage of it.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!

A helper’s high

charity, Habits, Happiness, Human Brain, Karma, mindset

This is a term I learned today while I was reading the book 5 Day Weekend.

I have mentioned in multiple posts earlier how when I am feeling low, I try to see if I can donate something. Even Joe Polish talks about how if you’re feeling depressed – go and help someone. It’s not necessary to do it with money only.

You go to an old age home, or you could go and offer your services to an orphanage etc. When you see the fact that you have something to give and help, it changes your whole body and emotional state.

This phrase immediately struck me because I also feel a high which cancels out my depressive emotions the moment I give to charity.

However I have always felt that there is a Karmic reaction to doing good. When you do good by doing charity it sets in motion a whole set of emotions in your mind.

It improves your self esteem, improves your mood, reduces your stress levels and makes you more calm and peaceful. Since you are on a high by helping someone you also tend to become more grateful.

In the Indian thought process if you are facing a lot of bad luck in your life, then you can slowly start reversing the “bad” part by doing charity, by helping others.

Till next time then, be on a high by helping others and make this world a better place.

Carpe Diem!!!

When will the tide turn

Human Brain, mindset, Turn around, Worry

The last 3 weeks in India have been dreadful to say the least. We have had an explosion of the Covid19 pandemic in the second wave.

Everyday we only see dreadful pictures and hear about near and dear ones who are either infected or someone close to them is infected or is dying.

Even though I am an optimist and the tide always turns, I am not sure if this is the bottom or we are still some distance away from the bottom.

While I am trying to utilize this time when we are locked in to read some intelligent stuff, which I am also sharing with you from time to time, I do get disturbed with information about my colleagues and their loved ones.

So while on books, right now I am reading the book Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham. A book with some really good questions already laid out to help you think about your business and therefore life. The positive about the book is that its not got lengthy chapters so you even if you get interrupted you don’t have to restart from a long way away. The best part like I said earlier is that he’s already laid out a lot of questions for us people to get our thinking process started.

Will share with you if there are some specific take aways that I got.

Meanwhile, I know the tide always turns, its just when will it turn now for the better so that all our people are better soon.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!

Negativity – all around – count your blessings – take affirmative action

Affirmative action, arrogance, Karma, mindset

The second wave of Covid19 in India is really taking its toll. To every person you talk there’s someone close to them who’s down with Covid19.

If we switch on the television, all it will talk about are the challenges with patients not getting oxygen, Politicians are at their best doing what they do , by blaming the ruling government for all the ills being faced.

I am generally a very positive person and try to find something which will give me a reason to be positive. But I couldn’t get myself to do that. All the conversations I had today had some tragedy about someone. I was not even being able to think of what I should write in this post.

But I started writing this blog and then started thing of all the blessings that I have in my life. All the reasons for me to be grateful that I can continue writing this post.

Then I thought I could continue to being a spectator or I could also help in some way. So I thought the government is facing a challenge in getting hold of oxygen. now I can’t make medical grade oxygen, but I can help the government in whatever small capacity in helping them get the equipment which can make the oxygen. So I went and donated money to the PM-CARES fund. I decided to stop just thinking but took some affirmative action.

As John Paul Dejoria says – and I am paraphrasing it – Success not Shared is worthless. If you don’t know who John Paul Dejoria is do a search on Google. He is a few billion dollars worth, but such a soft spoken gentleman, with absolutely no arrogance, who has contributed so much.

And suddenly the world is not so bad. Yes things are not rosy, but human beings have the resilience to find solutions. I am sure we will find solutions to handle this pandemic. I also did my little bit again today. I always feel terrific after donating money. I also believe in Karma and after donating I feel I have sent out a positive message into the universe.

What’s your view, please put in the comments section.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!