What do you want out of life? That might seem like an odd question to ask, in a book about financial independence. In the same breath, what do goals have to do with becoming financially free? Everything! You see, creating a personal mission—an ultimate objective—is essential for living a fulfilling life. And one of the biggest impediments to forward movement is that we think we have time. For example, time to create a goal list, or to act on good advice. “I’ll do it later,” we tell ourselves. We assume we have time to change how, or where, we raise our children—or ourselves. We believe we have time down the line somewhere to invest in our net worth— which is the value we bring to our social relationships, on a regular basis. But the truth is, what we put into our lives right now is what we get out of them. And none of what is earned is free. Do you want information? The cost is attention. Do you want to take vacations? The cost is money, planning and free time. Do you want to die in a content state of mind, or alone—in the presence of a relative stranger? If you prefer the first, then the cost is building long term, healthy relationships. But—time waits for no one.
