Who’s the Boss of Your Life’s Energy?

Every day you go to work to make money to pay bills. Does that sum up the totality of our lives? My bride recently paid two outstanding bills – in full. I was so happy that we would no longer have to deal with the yoke of finance charges, and that we could plan a vacation and shop with cash rather than plastic. As she wrote out the two four-figure checks, my mind began to wander and I asked myself, “Who am I really working for? Us or Them?”

Just think…either you work for a company, are self-employed, retired, or own your own business. The reality is that you will receive a check, which is a reward for your life’s energy that you’ve invested in your employer or customer. However, the real “bosses” of your life’s energy are your mortgage, car, MasterCard, student loans, line of credit, cell phone, power company, and the list goes on and on.

Here is the deal. These financial entities want their money from you, and they want it on time. That makes them the real boss. Are you surprised? I hope not. Now, I am not a financial expert, but whoever told you that your house was an asset was not lying to you. The real question is on whose balance sheet is your house an asset? Are you clinging to job security and struggling financially? If so, do you have a financial plan to escape the grip of debt?

If you’re not proactive about your finances, the next 30 years of your life energy will be invested in paying your bosses.

If you feel sick today and want to call in to work to request the day off, your mortgage doesn’t care. Neither do your student loans. They will still be waiting for you to pay them at the end of the month.

It’s a vicious cycle, isn’t it? Go to work, earn money, pay bills, invest in a 401(k) plan, and continue to pay rising health-care expenses.

Ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you to decide if you are working for money or if the money is working for you. That’s the million-dollar question. If you are working for money, then you are on a first-name basis with your real boss. Decide now how you intend to make money work for you.

Here are some action-step questions I invite you to answer to begin your journey to making the money work for you:

1. How will you make money work for you?

2. Do you have a financial plan?

3. What are you doing to reduce debt and increase assets?