Today's International Women's Day.
Felt that the women deserve a post. Hence, this post is specially dedicated to some women I had come across who left an indelible mark on me.
1. Kim Kiyosaki - Author of Rich Women
I resonated deeply with this quote because there was a period of time where I had very little. I had to stretch every dollar and was thinking of different ways to create more money. However, things were not coming up to expectations and I pivoted to the financial planning industry.
Almost everyone in my family wasn't very supportive of my decision. Regardless, I worked hard to ensure I have a stable income.
At this juncture, I am still behind my peers financially. On the other hand, I'm glad to say that I no longer have to live below my means because the income is helping to achieve some of my life goals.
I'm not talking about driving big cars, going for expensive holidays or getting a huge property. I'm referring to simple pleasures like going to a restaurant and looking at the food descriptions and pictures more than looking at the right column where the prices are.
That to me is a huge step forward!
Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will be able to come back here and announce I have another increment so I will be on track with my peers.
2. Beyonce - American Singer and Actress
I think Beyonce is one female singer whom I felt has accomplished much! Till date, she has won 24 Grammys and 70 nominations.
Instead of focusing only on singing and acting to earn her keep, according to the biography.com, she also ran a clothing line called House of Dereon with her mother.
After which, she went on to launch her own fragrance, Heat, in 2010. Throughout her career, Knowles has served as a spokesperson and model for several other brands, including L'Oreal and Tommy Hilfiger.
Given that I'm a guy, it may be ironic that I agree with Beyonce. I see it this way. The concept doesn't just apply to this situation alone, but also to your job and investment.
In simple terms, diversify your risks and income streams.
3. Suze Ozman - Personal Finance Expert
There is a Chinese saying,
钱不是万能，但是没钱，万万不能。
The direct translation is: money isn't everything, but not having the money, you definitely can't.
That's why I felt that insurance is a tool that all of us should have, whether you are a female or not.
What most of us want at the end of the day is peace of mind.
4. J.K Rowling - Author of the Harry Potter series
I agree with Rowling to some extent.
I find that self-worth and the amount of money you have are inter-related. I felt that having sufficient money in your bank gives me some level of self-confidence which in turn, creates a feeling of self-worth.
The is derived from my personal experience. I may be wrong but only people who had little and made more money later in their life may better to this situation.
I figured that I love investing and helping others, so I pivoted to financial planning. And because I enjoy talking about money matters, people see the spark and allow me to help serve them.
I'm glad that I managed to figure out what I like and it also happened to be what I do best. As such, I managed to secure my sense of self-worth and in turn, I had more clients who trust me with their money.
It is true that when you learn how to monetize what you do best, you will gain self-worth. However, do note that it could be an uphill task in some industries.
5. My Mom
I'm not posting a photo of my mom as I don't think she wants such publicity. Rest assured that the quote has a huge impact, at least to me.
Why not you give it a shot? You have come so far and have paid for the exams, why not go for it? Even if you have failed, at least you tried. But if you pass, you would have saved 1 year of your time.
A little context to the quote above. It has NOTHING to do with money.
You see, I had just received my A-Level Preliminary results.
I scored a fantastic...straight Fs.
The A-Level exam was just 2 months away...
It was obvious I wasn't ready. My form teacher told me that I should consider skipping the exams.
I almost wanted to quit the Junior College and start from scratch at a polytechnic. I felt like a failure, wasting 2 years of my life.
However, my mom's "why not" gave me a glimmer of hope that anything is possible.
As such, I worked hard and for the remaining 2 months, I studied the 2 years syllabus again. This time with greater depth and clarity.
When I received the results, I was glad I took her advice. I managed to scrape through and entered a local university.
From then on, I started incorporating "why not" in my thought process.
Why should we handle our money in this manner? Why not the other way?
Why should we be taking this route? Why not the other route?
Why should we invest in vehicle A? Why not vehicle B, C or D?
I realised asking "why not" has aided me to overcome many adversities and challenges.
TL, DR
We only get to live once. Instead of constantly living below our means, be creative and find ways to expand our income so we can get the things we want and deserve.
A man is not a woman's financial plan. Females can joke about marrying a rich husband. That is one option but that should not be the only one. Diversify your risks and income stream. Concept of diversification applies to men too!
Unexpected situations can and do happen. It's only a matter of when. As such, always ensure you and your family are well insured.
Self-worth and size of the bank account are related. It may not be a straight line, but a strong sense of self-worth will increase your economic value over time.
Ask more "why not" in your life. It helps you to view things objectively and expands your curiosity.
Be sure to share if you find this post useful!
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