I was having lunch by the beach this week with my wife, and we were reflecting on my time and contribution to fundraising, training, and riding in the Tour de Cure.
It got me thinking about the most important lesson I learned over the past 25 years when it comes to financial freedom. All of the successful wealth creators have this aspect of their financial lives completely nailed. What is it you ask? Simply put, it is contribution!
You may have your own business or a side hustle, or you might just want to know more about investing to build wealth to achieve financial freedom yourself. I think it would be fair to say that you are building a business or investing to provide a future that is secure financially. And that is totally awesome.
When it comes to building a business or building your wealth, there are many hurdles and moments where you question your ability or the reasons why you put yourself through the hard work.
I get that, I ask myself the same questions…
But over lunch with my wife, we were able to reflect. Financial freedom may be the end goal, but choice is a huge motivator when it comes to creating wealth.
Now you may not think riding a bike for nine or ten days over 1,500 km is a good choice. Most people wouldn’t. Let’s face it, there is a fair amount of pain involved, not only in the ride itself but more so in the training to prepare for the ride.
So why would I make this choice, and what has that got to do with you and your investing goals?
Contribution and Wealth
When you decided to take control of your money and start building a secure financial future, you made a choice. A choice to be free of money stress and, I suspect, to have a few more of the things you love to have, maybe a holiday, new clothes or even more time.
That is the point… Investing for your financial future is about having choices, and being able to do the things that you want to do when you want to do them.
The hours you are putting into building your business or investing activities are all about creating the freedom of choice.
Choice is a powerful motivator…
When you realise that the wealth that you are creating provides the freedom of choice, your attention will turn to what you will do with that choice.
This is where the biggest financial freedom lesson of all will come to you.
The Choice to Contribute
One of the fastest ways to attract more money into your life is to contribute more to the lives of others. To provide more value to others.
As I mentioned earlier, all the wealthiest people in the world have contribution as a key part of their wealth strategy.
Now, most people I speak with will say that they will contribute more when they have more. Unfortunately, that mindset overlooks the power of contribution and how it affects your wealth today.
You can choose to use your money and your skills, and everything you create to serve a grander purpose.
You have probably heard the saying that what we appreciate appreciates, or what you focus on expands.
This state becomes far richer and more meaningful when everything that you are doing will ultimately serve an even grander purpose.
There are two high-profile examples of how this concept works. Look at Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.
Here are two people that have built substantial fortunes yet they also give away many millions of dollars to good causes.
These are people that are serving a grander purpose and making a contribution to the lives of others, and their wealth continues to increase…
Understanding the mindset that to give increases your potential to create great wealth is difficult, at first!
But once you realise that the more you contribute, the more you give, the more choice you have.
Your Purpose
As you continue on the path of creating wealth, identify the grander purpose in your life. What will you use your wealth for, how will you make a difference?
Now I will be totally fine if it isn’t riding a bike for ten days straight…
When you can link your wealth to your grander purpose, whatever that is, you will find inner peace in the pursuit of wealth.
Opportunities to assist you to achieve your goals will also present themselves allowing you to create wealth even faster than you thought possible.
Ever since I have been involved with Tour de Cure, and identified my grander purpose, the number of opportunities that have opened up for me has been incredible.
My grander purpose has allowed me to pursue my business and help others learn how to create the wealth they desire, which in turn allows them to pursue their goals and greater purpose.
People have come into my life, connections made, doors opened, opportunities presented, and ideas manifested, all for the benefit of my business and grander purpose. You might say that there is more ‘choice’ in my life.
By giving, and making a contribution, I have already achieved great wealth…
The Authority
One of the greatest wealth creators in history was John D Rockefeller, and he describes contribution like this:
“I believe the power to make money is a gift from God. To be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind. Having been endowed with the gift I possess, I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow humans according to the dictates of my conscience.”
I am a strong believer in the more you give the more you will receive. If you follow the ‘Law of Attraction’ this is one of the beliefs, it is a universal law.
Conclusion
Take the lead of people like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Richard Branson, and many others who have shown that you can create great wealth and make a contribution, and achieve more wealth than money will ever buy.
My challenge to you this week is to make the choice to contribute.
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you decide, what is your grander purpose?