Since this blog was started about 8 years ago, the recurring theme has always been about advocating the real incentive behind achieving financial independence and how much benefits we could derive from achieving it than not.
We’ve always pictured financial independence as having the options to do the things that we want rather than the things that we’re forced to do and having that autonomy gives us the flexibility to become happier naturally.
As human beings, I understand that we tend not to like being controlled and we like to define our time according to our own needs. Best still, we could arrange our very own FI weekly schedule to meet the needs of our body and mind instead of the other way round, dealing with the inaugural needs of the society.
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| When I’m not at the coffee house, I’m on the way to the coffee house |
The truth is achieving financial independence is an utterly overrated phenomenon that proves to only be a general marketing gimmick led by masked bloggers like us that try to prove our points because we force ourselves to think like that.
You see, most of us financial bloggers are no different from the usual snake salesman you see on the street trying to get passerby to buy things and packages that we sell. Like them, our income is very much dependent upon hitting the group of mass market on the street who were too weak to believe in their own capabilities and therefore are being targeted so bloggers can receive more online income to sustain our self-proclaimed lies and lifestyle.
We like to influence the general public with our sexy dividend stories by publishing quarterly dividend reports and putting up a nice beach instagram photos sipping pina colada on the beach to further enhance our stories but the fact remains that the beaches in the photos are not as elegant as they were in real life and you’ve got to pay a premium to even pay for that benches you sat on the Patong beach.
We also know that while dividend income and capital gains are not taxable under the Singapore jurisdiction, one of the top early retirees’ wish list is to actually go back to the workforce and pay taxes because workforce is actually awesome after they found out how overrated is the goal of financial independence that they’ve been seeking for decades.
Being in a different time zone with the norms also means that you are likely to be alone and outcast during the day when everyone is having their awesome lunch together at lao pat sat squeezing both literally and figuratively sandwiches between the hour lunch.
You start to live your life as if the world is just about you – shopping for groceries, reading book in a library, eating in an empty restaurant without the lunch crowd and no one to talk to. The best thing that can happen is if you can find a similar clone elsewhere that lives the lifestyle like you did, but even so it is extremely rare.
As I am approaching my target destination soon on the path to reaching the dreaded financial independence goal, I am afraid of what the new life may take me to. I am afraid of having no more goals to look forward to and life would go downhill from there.
You see, I’m not trying to put a salt on the wound that may break the heart of anyone who’s just starting out, but in my journey so far, it has been the case and I so very much regret my decision to pursue it in the first place.
Financial independence is utterly overrated! Urgh….
And to everyone who reads this, hope you have a good Happy April Fool’s Day đ
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| 99.9% of the above statement are probably the complete opposite |
And let us instead give thanks and celebrate Easter day for the blessings for what God has given us đ
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| Happy Easter Sunday |
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Hi Brian,
How are you doing? Itâs been a long time. By strange reason, I come into the financial blogosphere to read and I was led to your blog post.
Ref. to ur post, this is so true and I am so happy that it was revealed to you. That is why I no longer pursue things that are temporary since awhile back, as u also know that I m no longer that active here compared to in the past.
The most important things in life are often the things we âsubconsciously chooseâ to miss, bcos we are preoccupied with the things that âthis worldâ wanted us to focus.
âLove & relationshipsâ Vs âmoney, power or even securityâ
We are often too engrossed in the latter, bcos we often think that as long as I settle the latter (which is money), the former (which is relationships) I can come back to it later.
It is so wrong! I know so many people who spend all their time to achieve their personal ambition, but the day will come when they realize that it is all not important, that they regret not spending time to have good relationships.
The good relationship is not just with your own âfamilyâ. It is also with people around you or even strangers.
Todayâs world is all about âself self selfâ, how many people truly are âselfless and righteousâ.
For me, since awhile back, I found eternal joy focusing on âdoing good and shareâ by impacting peopleâs lives and helping others with the truth and with simple things. Their lives improved. Many âacquaintancesâ become my very close friends and my very own relationships with family, colleagues, and relatives all improved. This is joy when you have the truth. The truth is king.
If ever we have chance to meetâŚI will love to.
Happy Easter.
Hi Rolf
How are you? The community miss you and we miss your presence too. Glad to know you're doing better than before and all is well.
Like you, I've been reducing the frequency of my posting and spending time and efforts elsewhere too.. I'm glad to have found that balance more satisfying than before because I recalled it was very stuffy when I tried to reach the goal faster in the past, not giving oneself to breathe more.
Have you found a new job outside the corporate that ties with your helping others or are you volunteering through your own free time? It's amazing how you deal with this whole thing because I recall you have kids and big financial commitments along the way too…
Hi B,
I m v fine, hope u are too. đ
Hehe.. still rem the old days when we hav so many comments here n there in the blogosphere. Urself, SMOL, CW, LP, SI, temperament etc.
I am still in O&G corporate, same co as when we first knew.
The time spent is mostly own time. All time I use to spend in the past for investment and blogs, had been devoted to reading n serving…
Ur kids must be big now n hope u r spending more time w time. I have 4 kids now, n they r not our financial burden but our joy as we spent time to nurture their integrity n how the should be wise in their lives rather than being clever.
Bcos if u r clever, u make lots of money but we want them to b wise, bcos we want our kids to make the most out of lives.
Anyway, itâs a long story. I did met up w few bloggers n hopefully we can meet one day.
Have a blessed and enlightened life journey.
Wow 4 kids! You are a very rare breed Singaporeans proud product đ
Yep I have been spending my time elsewhere and documenting my other journey with the kids on the other blog elsewhere (http://leisurewithdaddyb.blogspot.com) and it has been a truly motivational for me to pursue with life goals and committments.
I hope to meet you someday too đ
Have a continued blessing and thats for your guidance and thoughts.
EDWARD JONES FINANCE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN {[email protected]},
God bless you sir, I will not stop telling the world about your kindness in my life, I am a single mum with kids to look after. My name is Emily Thomas and I am from Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL . A couple of weeks ago My friend visited me and along our discussion she told me about EDWARD JONES FINANCE, that they can help me out of my financial situation, I never believed cause I have spend so much money on different loan lenders who did nothing other than running away with my money. I have been in a financial mess for the pass 7 months now, She advised I give it a try so I mailed him and explain all about my financial situation to him, he therefore took me through the loan process and gave me a loan of $390,000.00 at a very low interest rate of 2% and today I am a proud business owner and can now take good care of my kids, If you must contact any firm to get any amount of loan you need with a low interest rate of 2% and better repayment schedule, please contact EDWARD JONES FINANCE email:- {[email protected]} OR Text +1(307) 217-5388
……
Ha! You caught me off-guard. đ
Happy April Fools' Day.
Hi Marksman
Hah! Glad I did, for sake of good first day of the new brand quarter đ
Hello,
Good one there HAHA! Your blog always serve as a good reminder to me on my path to FI!
Thanks once again đ
Cheers,
Cupcake
Hi Cupcake
We share the same passionate in traveling the world. That's a good enough motivation for us to push on.
Hi Brian,
Felt queer until I read the second last sentence đ
Happy Easter and may God bless you.
Hi Cheryl
Happy Easter to you and family too and lets continue to work hard for whatever good we believe in đ
Hi B,
I know right, financial freedom is such a millenial thing. Only lazy people who dream of not working one day will subscribe to the math. Even when the math checks out. đ
KK
Hi KK
Its ironic right… We spent our whole lives trying to balance out the maths yet at the end of our lives it matters little to nothing.
Hi B,
It's very important for one to know themselves. How someone buy or sell something (be it mindset, belief or even a product) should not impact on us so long we understand ourselves. It's a big waste for people to buy into something they don't know.
Happiness and peace of mind – is priceless.
FI is NOT needed, it's a preference. There's a good number of population that still enjoy their lives despite not being FI. On the other side, we would WANT to be FI đ
Hi Sleepydevil
It's a good milestone to hit nevertheless… I think if done right, it can guide you to the right direction and guide your character which I think it already did to you đ
No ads. No online income. How as FI blogger? Can still survive?
Hi Uncle CW
Sure can, small money to bloggers in SG unlike those in the States đ
B,
Getting naughty now.
Can write parody masquerading as a joke.
This way, no one gets "offended".
LOL!
Good, good. You can let your hair down and enjoy the journey. I see you having lots of fun with family in Taiwan. That's the way!
What's the point of seeking finanacially freedom but don't have time with family?
Hi SMOL
I must learn from Uncle CW here… Every March or April see see flower touch touch them. Bigger family bigger expenses but no problem, as long as everyone is happy throughout đ
Fell for this one, not even mad!
MT
Hi Unknown
It's a one day event in the year… Please forgive me đ
Hi B,
I was wondering whether this blogpost got hijacked by hackers for a moment until I finished reading the post. Good one!
Better to be fooled on April's fool, than be fooled by the narratives that certain influencers preach, to further their own agenda.
Hope you had an enjoyable trip!
Hi INTJ
Hahaha, caught you!!!
Still, I think as I was writing can't help but feel there is some truth a bit in it. We just need to turn that into one of the positives things in my life. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna feel some parts of it along the way in my life.
Hahahaha. That's pretty funny.
Hi B,
I read the title and I tell myself I don't believe, what has happened! This sentence pops up the most:"You start to live your life as if the world is just about you – shopping for groceries, reading book in a library, eating in an empty restaurant without the lunch crowd and no one to talk to." I was thinking that sounds ideal and totally like my self-employed life now.
Hahaha, happy april fool's, great post! đ
EDWARD JONES FINANCE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A LOAN {[email protected]},
God bless you sir, I will not stop telling the world about your kindness in my life, I am a single mum with kids to look after. My name is Emily Thomas and I am from Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL . A couple of weeks ago My friend visited me and along our discussion she told me about EDWARD JONES FINANCE, that they can help me out of my financial situation, I never believed cause I have spend so much money on different loan lenders who did nothing other than running away with my money. I have been in a financial mess for the pass 7 months now, She advised I give it a try so I mailed him and explain all about my financial situation to him, he therefore took me through the loan process and gave me a loan of $390,000.00 at a very low interest rate of 2% and today I am a proud business owner and can now take good care of my kids, If you must contact any firm to get any amount of loan you need with a low interest rate of 2% and better repayment schedule, please contact EDWARD JONES FINANCE email:- {[email protected]} OR Text +1(307) 217-5388
……
Hi,
This might sound controversial to some people, but remember, Iâve spent half a lifetime surrounded by people who have achieved great success (financial included), so I know what Iâm talking about hereâŚ
Positive thinking is NOT enough to bring you wealth.
No matter what other self-help experts out there tell you, it is NOT enough.
Positive Thinking by itself = Future disappointment
What you need isâŚ
Positive Thinking + Skills/Mindset + Action = Great wealth
Hereâs how to become a complete and total MAGNET for moneyâŚ
==> The REAL secret to Total Money Magnetism
If you want to become wealthy then you need to learn how to reprogram your mind to THINK like a millionaire.
Society has programmed so many incorrect thoughts about how money works that it takes a lot more than just positive thinking for you to become a magnet for it.
But⌠If youâre willing to change your way of thinkingâŚ
If youâre willing to forget the well meaning advice from your friends, family, school teachers, and so forthâŚâŚIf youâre willing to implant the brain of a millionaire into your headâŚ
Then follow this link while itâs still online:
==> The REAL secret to Total Money Magnetism
I couldnât recommend this any more highly.
Itâs about to change your life for the better, if only youâre willing to take action and follow through with this.
Enjoy!
Kind regards,
[Dr. Steve G. Jones]