The #1 Reason Why Some People Are Financially Free and Others Are Not


I had to fight hard to become financially free. In fact, it took years of work, a lot of time studying the great investors, and a lot of persistence on my part.

You see, the journey to accomplishing anything worthwhile is filled with challenges. But as Randy Pausch said “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

I will not lie to you. There were times when it was a challenge to stay focused. Those beautiful spring days when I could have been outside just enjoying the nice day doing nothing, I didn’t.

I continued to work at success. I read. I studied. I built my success habits. I followed my system.  And I doubled-down on the commitment to myself…to become financially free.

Frankly, I think many people in the same situation would have given up.

But I did not.

The result is I get to do what I want to do.

I believe you are never too old, never too young, never too poor, never too anything to give up on living the life of your dreams.

Most people who give up on their dreams become a master of only one skill: the skill of making excuses.  The result is they have a long list of reasons why they have not done more with life.

And their dreams die.

Yet, others succeed in living the life of their dreams. And I know why. It’s very simple.

You see, I believe that #1 difference between those that are financially free and those that are not is this…

Those that are financially free “demanded” it of themselves.

If you want to focus on the one single thing that has more to do with success than any other, this is it.

Many people are content with doing the minimum. The biggest thing that holds them back is their standard of success – what is acceptable for them.

You have to determine what level of life is acceptable for you. Will you live a life a quiet desperation or refuse to accept ordinary? The answer depends on what you demand of yourself.

I became a millionaire by demanding it of myself.

I became a multi-millionaire by demanding it of myself.

I became financially free by demanding it of myself.

Goal-setting’s fine and useful, but what good are goals if you are willing to give up on them? The real key to success is insistence. Ask yourself this – what are the conditions or circumstances in your life that you adamantly refuse to accept?

You have to identify a deep emotional reason for becoming financially free. You have to get to the point of adamantly refusing to stay where you are and not getting what you must have in life.

Do you want to be financially free? Consider putting a note on your refrigerator door that says, “I’m 45 years old. I’m educated. I have a decent job and I work hard. But I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed to still be struggling in this land of abundant opportunity when others around me are financially free. No more. I demand to be financially free. I demand it.”

Don’t accept that you must wait for the right time…that nothing can be done…or too easily take no for an answer. That’s the language of the mediocre majority and a fool-proof plan for failure.

Start now. Be relentless. Keep working long after others have given up. Think about who you have to be…and work at it every day and every night.

Don’t give up. Insist that can be done. Demand it.