If you have a chance to turn back the time, what would you do?
Would you believe that I, a 39 years old, former OFW who is also a Finance Manager, is financially illiterate? YES! ME! Well, we all made mistakes and mine is focusing on managing someone else’s money and neglecting my personal finances. Anyone would have expected that I would be financially stable right now, a house, maybe a business, savings, stocks, etc. But what does financial literacy really mean in this changing world?
I grew up in a family of businessmen and women, were at a very young age started to learn tips and tricks on handling and earning money. As I grew older, started my schooling, those tips and tricks seemed to have left my mind. My personal conviction of helping others does not coincide with the views of my family. They underpaid employees, giving less benefits, in short they are not thinking of the welfare of the people who helped them grow. They only told me that if they give the exact amount they may shut down the business. This is what inculcated until this day.
What I was thinking focuses on how they treated employees and I did not focus on how they grew the business. I told myself that I will look for a job and experience how to be an employee, to know how it felt to be down there with whatever income my employer gave me. I gained all the experiences and knowledge for me to be good at what I do. But in the end, I wasn’t able to apply this to my own personal finances. In my mind I am still thinking like an employee, I did not put myself in the shoes of a Business Minded Person. What I thought was that all businesses had the same boss as in our family. But it is not.
Realizing all these mistakes, and to achieve Financial Literacy, I would follow some of the lessons I have learned from the best selling author Robert Kiyosaki from the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Namely:
Change your thoughts. By Changing every negative “can’t do” thought into “can do” makes your attitude healthy.
Take Risk. Taking calculated risk will help you build wealth and make you smart from experience gained.
Work to learn, don’t work for money.
Know a little about everything. This is in all aspects of the business.
Let the money work for you. Make a wise investment and let your money grow for you.
Mind your own business.
Control Emotions.
Now, I am enriching my mind with the help of FVA Consultancy Freelancing Course by Coach Julmar Grace Locsin. I want to learn the ropes in Freelancing and Virtual Assistance. I know that it is never too late to push forward to reach for that Rich Mind. I can still become a Business Owner and at the same time be able to provide for the welfare of my employees.
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