Financial Independence
So far in this program, the term financial independence has been used in a number of ways, including:
For the purposes of Step 9, the meaning for financial independence is more explicit. (See inset on the right).
Since this program originated in the 1960s, most people have used the previous steps to free themselves of the burden of debt. Some people have used this program to save enough money for a few years’ sabbatical, in order to pursue opportunities they couldn’t take advantage of while working. And then there are people – like Joe Dominguez, the creator of this program – who used all nine steps to free themselves from paid employment for the rest of their lives!
The focus and intent of this chapter is not to accumulate more wealth. Step 9 assumes you’ve already started to implement the previous eight steps, and envisioned the crossover point when you will have ENOUGH. At that point it’s time to stop worrying about money and get on with whatever is really important in your life.
Anyone, from any walk of life, can achieve financial independence – and you can have that freedom WITHOUT gambling in the lottery or the stock market, WITHOUT doing anything unethical, WITHOUT speculative, high-risk real-estate investments. By making well-considered choices now, you can be free from financial worries for the foreseeable future.
It is UP TO YOU to secure that freedom, and the way to do it is to:
- Being free of worry and preoccupation about money.
- Feeling fulfilled whatever the level of your income.
- Having the sense of “enough”.
For the purposes of Step 9, the meaning for financial independence is more explicit. (See inset on the right).
Since this program originated in the 1960s, most people have used the previous steps to free themselves of the burden of debt. Some people have used this program to save enough money for a few years’ sabbatical, in order to pursue opportunities they couldn’t take advantage of while working. And then there are people – like Joe Dominguez, the creator of this program – who used all nine steps to free themselves from paid employment for the rest of their lives!
The focus and intent of this chapter is not to accumulate more wealth. Step 9 assumes you’ve already started to implement the previous eight steps, and envisioned the crossover point when you will have ENOUGH. At that point it’s time to stop worrying about money and get on with whatever is really important in your life.
Anyone, from any walk of life, can achieve financial independence – and you can have that freedom WITHOUT gambling in the lottery or the stock market, WITHOUT doing anything unethical, WITHOUT speculative, high-risk real-estate investments. By making well-considered choices now, you can be free from financial worries for the foreseeable future.
It is UP TO YOU to secure that freedom, and the way to do it is to: