Heyo, Nik from Four Minute Books here!
Thank you for downloading our list of the 14 Best Finance Books.
I think you'll enjoy the following metaphor.
I call it "The Money Bus." It's an idea from a book called The 4 Minute Millionaire. Here it is...
Imagine your paycheck is a bus, and every passenger on that bus represents one dollar of income. At the beginning of the month, the bus arrives. You get on to see what happens to your income as the days go by.
The bus starts driving along. Some dollars get off at the grocery store. Some at your utility company. Others leave at the dry cleaner's, Amazon Prime, and the video game shop. Think through all the stops until the bus is empty. Take a minute if need be.
Are you done? Did all your dollars get off? Here's where it gets interesting: As you observed your dollars leaving the bus, where did you imagine yourself sitting? Were you tucked away in the last row, helplessly watching your precious dollars leave? Somewhere in the middle, perhaps, frantically looking around at other passengers?
It's a common thing to wonder at the end of the month: "Where did all my money go?" Since our money ends up with so many other people, we often feel like a victim. Who took our hard-earned dollars? And why did they take so many of them?
The truth, however, is that you're the driver of the bus. You decide who gets off where and why. No dollar leaves the bus without your permission. No one is taking your money. You're giving it to people. It's time to accept you're the one steering the bus.
You are the one in control of all your finances. You must realize this. It is the first step towards financial freedom. Imagine a money manager denying managing money is their job — how can they possibly do it well? They can't.
Don't sit in the back seat of your own bus! Don't yell at the government, your employer, or the economy as you watch your dollars disappear. Step up to your job. Take the wheel. You decide when the doors open. You decide which dollar goes where. No one else.
Yes, there are plenty of obstacles on the path to financial freedom. The media confuse you with their contradictory information. The education system provides no financial knowledge at all. It's all true. Still, excuses will always stay excuses, no matter how accurately you can point at their source.
Today is the youngest you'll ever be, and with money and investing, nothing is more important than starting as early as you can. Stop blaming external factors and start taking responsibility for your money. It's the first step towards building wealth.
What do you think? Does this idea make you feel angry? Sad? Empowered?
I've had many moments in my life when it was hard to accept that, ultimately, I have the last say when it comes to my money - mostly because in those moments, I felt like I had no say at all!
However, it was only once I accepted full responsibility - not blame, responsibility - that I could take charge and productively move forward.
Anyway, if you'll have me, I'd love to share a few more ideas about money with you over the next few days.
In the meantime, enjoy browsing the book list. Maybe you'll even pick up a title :)
Happy reading,
-Nik
PS: That book The 4 Minute Millionaire...guess who wrote it? Shhhhh. 🤫 More about that in due time. 😁
Posts
0 Comments