I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your mother gave you bad financial advice. So did a lot of other people. In fact, most of the world has the whole concept of achieving wealth backward. Maybe that’s why there are so few wealthy people!
If you’re like most people, all your life you’ve been taught, “the secret of wealth is to spend less than you earn,” or “the secret of wealth is to live within your means.” Wrong! That’s only the secret to financial survival. Not that survival is a bad thing! But here’s what I think is wrong with this advice:
When you hear “spend less than you earn,” what is the message? There’s only so much money available—live as frugally as you can! “Live within your means?” The message is similar: Stick to your budget or suffer the consequences! It’s a message of scarcity and resignation. Listen to it long enough; believe it firmly enough; and you might find yourself in the enviable position of being debt-free; but you will probably never be financially wealthy.
Let’s see if we can turn this around and come up with a more positive statement. Instead of “spend less than you earn,” how about, Earn more than you spend? Now there’s a message of abundance and hope! It’s an uplifting challenge rather than a gloomy warning. Instead of “live within your means,” how about, Increase your means so you can really live?
Tell yourself that often enough; believe it firmly enough; take decisive action; and one of these days you just might find yourself very well off!
Provident living is not just about survival. It’s about prosperity under all circumstances. Life was meant to be abundant. It was meant to be joyful. Use your God-given creativity and personal inspiration to find and embrace that abundance and joy!
I invite you to take this challenge: Start today to look for ways to increase your income without increasing your spending. It really is possible—the old adage “you have to spend money to make money” is another falsehood. You already have what it takes, and you deserve the chance to prove it!
I know quite a few people—and I’ve fallen into this trap myself—who have spent thousands of dollars they couldn’t afford to spend, buying courses, attending expensive seminars, purchasing software, and pursuing get-rich-quick schemes—and have absolutely nothing to show for it. Let me ruffle a few feathers and tell you what I’ve come to believe: If an “opportunity” requires a significant financial sacrifice up front, pass it up—you can do better!
Case in point: I’m writing this article on a computer I got for free from a company that was upgrading its equipment. I’m using a Linux operating system, which is totally free, and open-source software that is also free. My web hosting expenses are more than paid for through advertising revenue, and product sales bring in a nice profit. Can you do the same? Absolutely! I’ll even teach you how, if you’re interested. And I won’t charge you a dime! To register for my free online course, just send email to webinar@jaredsorensen.com.
So take the challenge. Turn your thinking around. Quit worrying so much about cutting your expenses. Instead, ponder and pray about increasing your revenue, believe that you can do it, let go of your doubts, work hard, try new approaches, and keep your eyes and heart open for opportunities. Sooner or later, they will come, and you will be on the road to financial prosperity.
Wishing you every success,
Jared
