How's Your Hand?

Even with the best hand, if you don't understand the rules of the game, you can still lose. Someone might look poised to succeed in life with his educational background, a good job and great health but if his mentality and actions do not maximize these advantages, failure is inevitable. We always seemed surprised to hear people succeeding out of no where. But if we look closely, a lot of those who reach the top are the ones who started out from the bottom yet hustle their way up against the odds.

Remember that the person who is more likely to succeed is not always the one who's dealt with the best hands in life but it is he who strategizes his way up no matter how bad the set of cards are being dealt to him.



#FinancialPlanningforLife

Use Your Today

Today, reasons and excuses are easy, convenient and cheap. But tomorrow, the only currencies accepted are the solutions and preparations that you did earlier.

Start Young and Wise

It is hard to be a breadwinner. And do you know what's harder? It is the situation of the breadwinner's dependents when suddenly, they are left on their own. 

That's why I'm so glad to have persuaded this 24 yr old IT professional, an eldest in his family, to start with his investment early. He might have just began with his career but he understands fully the gravity of being prepared for anything. Currently, he has to support his two younger siblings in their education and his parents are already in their retiring age yet he's able to budget his salary and make room to what is essential for all of them.

And it's not a bad deal to put up with a Php 2500/month investment for 10 yrs and have 1M pesos life insurance, 500K pesos accident and disability coverage, and more or less 1 Million Pesos withdrawable money at age 50 in return. A bonus well spent? No. But rather, it is a bonus well allotted and utilized.

Are You Ready To Leave?

It's that day again when families and friends troop to the cemeteries to remember and pray for our dearly departed. And because of the season, I remember that saying that we can't bring our treasures buried with us 6 feet under when our lives end. That's true. Yet unfortunately, it's not just material riches but the list of things we can't bring beyond our lives here on earth includes our debts, expenses and responsibilities on which some are even transferred to those whom we left behind.

And we call these people as our loved ones. Loving should be in action and not just in words. So rather than leaving them grieving and burdened with finances, why not prepare them at least in the financial sense? Save, invest, get an insurance. It will give you a peace of mind before you even rest in peace. And there are statistics that say those who prepare for it usually are the ones who live longer. I believe this because the mentality of those people who prepare have safer mindsets, health and situations than those happy go lucky people.

Drive Your Way to Investment Success

Running your business is like driving a car. Motivation is the spark plug, your resources are your fuel and your driving skill is your investment knowledge.

I already met enough people who failed in their businesses by committing that mistake of thinking that motivation and resources are enough ammunitions to start and finish a battle. And it was a personal experience as well. 

Your skill will always be critical. Sometimes, motivation acts like a hallucinating drug that makes you think you are invulnerable. And the danger doubles when you have that enough resources at your hand. You may be able to start the machine and be able to move initially with the momentum. But once you get into that bumpy road, without that necessary skill to get past through it, expect a lot of difficulties on your way or worst, a sudden halt with what you are doing.

Invest in enriching your skills and knowledge. Find your expertise. And when the driver is ready, the perfect car comes.

It's Not The Money

Our problems with money does not come from neither the state of richness nor poverty. It is rooted from materialism and greed. You can be greedy and materialistic while being either poor or rich and they are what create discontent and envy. It is with detachment from material things, not with the proverbial "simple life" nor with affluence where you can achieve happiness and contentment. 

Knowledge on Top

In investing and entrepreneurship, it's not enough that you are inspired. Knowledge is more important. I find it amusing that a lot of would be entrepreneurs and investors spend 90% of their time attending inspirational talks and reading motivational books but put in sporadic efforts sharpening their skills on their chosen field. In the long term, what you do becomes a part of your life. Your inspiration might waive off but your knowledge stays with you and it will be your fuel to continue with what you do.