Millionaire? or LIFEonaire?

Many of us just attended a training with Steve Cook sponsored by the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound that raised some provocative life questions:

What does prosperity mean to you?
Does it mean having lots of money? or having the freedom to experience life!

Are you living the life you were intended to live?
What is your vision for your life? Is what you are doing now taking you there?

Many Americans work too much, are too busy to enjoy life, have too much stress, or don't like what they are doing for a living.

The messages I got from my parents while I was growing up were: to be happy, to do what I love, and to be the best person I could be. Most parents want these things for their children. But sometimes the messages are more about money, than about life: go to school so you can get a good job so you can buy a house and a car and provide for your family. Children see their parents working hard all the time, going into debt to get the things they want - and this message sticks even more strongly.

Sure, you have to earn enough to cover your basic needs, but LIFEonaire coaches questioned the basis on which most Americans define "basic needs." Could you be happy with less, if it meant you could spend more time enjoying life?

Make a list of the most important reasons, purpose for your life - and mark these in your calendar. Build your business life around the personal life and lifestyle you want, not the other way around. Don't fill your days, weeks, months and years with work - only to discover that the things that were most important to you (family, health, hobbies, passions) have fallen by the wayside.

Time is not money - time is LIFE. Once it is gone, you can never get it back.

What if you were to die tomorrow? what would you do differently if you knew you had only three months to live?

"LIFEonaire" is the name of a concept for an abundant life based on the following six principles:

1. Prosperity = Freedom
2. Prosperity through Simplicity
3. 4 Stages to Financial Prosperity
4. Set Yourself Up to Win
5. Embrace Life - Take Action! 
6. Share Life - Give, give, give

The 4 Stages to Financial Prosperity are:

1. Build Your Foundation: Your LIFEonaire vision (for your life!)
2. Meet Your Needs
3. Earn Excess Cash
4. Invest into Free and Clear Income Producing Assets

There is a wonderful LIFEonaire book written by Steve Cook and Shaun McCloskey that is available on Amazon for anyone interested in learning more. Much of the message comes from a biblical perspective, which includes the notion that there is no such thing as good debt (the authors/coaches hedge this by saying, that one's relationship to debt has a lot to do with one's particular life vision - so it depends).

Real estate is good, your life is better. Invest in your life!

Happy Investing!