Becoming Time Rich, How We Did It And You Can Too

TIME IS FREEDOM

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In our youth, we are taught to search out a good job with decent benefits and that we should dedicate our entire lives to that corporation or field.

A pattern that most of our parents followed and their parents before them. 

As an adult, I have always struggled with the concept that the best years of my life should be dedicated to working endlessly toward someone else’s dream, and at a quarter of the price, my time is actually worth. 

It always crushed me to think that I spent more time with my coworkers each day than with my family throughout the week.

I felt caged by my 9-5 and so ready for a change. 

It was about this time in my life that my mother introduced me to a book. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. (If you haven’t read it yet, just do it!)

I was so enthralled with each page!

I couldn’t put it down. My husband and I finished the book in its entirety in just two days, then proceeded to listen to it on audio. 

The way Ferriss was able to finally put a name to the hopeless feeling growing inside of me gave me hope, hope that I could finally make a change.

Not only did the book validate my feelings about work, but it also laid out a clear plan to reach my goal of working from home on my own time. 

He introduced the idea of one becoming “time rich,” and I adored the concept! Rather than quantifying things using money, he teaches you to begin thinking in terms of time. 

How many hours of your life will that $100 pair of shoes cost you? Are they really worth your time? 

“Being Rich is having money, being wealthy is having time”

– unknown 

MAKING TIME FOR THE THINGS THAT MATTER

As directed by multiple self-help books, my husband and I began to formulate a life plan.

Finally, we came up with three steps, three steps that had to be accomplished in order to reach our goals of freedom. 

STEP 1: CULTIVATING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET 

For some, an entrepreneurial mindset comes naturally; for others, it must be built.

Luckily it is 100% achievable in either scenario!

Here are a few of the critical skills we must focus on developing in order to ascertain a more business-oriented mindset.

1. Recognize That There Will Always Be Room For Improvement 

A trend you will notice amongst most successful individuals is their drive to learn and grow continually. 

Whether you wish to focus your free time on a hobby or to fine-tune a new skill, this growth mindset will change the way you view your goals. 

Here are a few examples of some things you might wish to learn with your new-found time:

• A new language.
• Kickboxing.
• Coding.
• Sculpting.
• Cooking.

The list really could go on and on!

I try to make it a goal to focus on building up at least one new skill each month. 

Step into that growth mindset and keep learning and developing life skills! You can never have too many! 

2. Practice Acceptance 

Not being able to move past those things that are detrimental to our growth is a major roadblock when it comes to our goals, which is why it is SO important that we learn acceptance. 

We must learn to choose our battles; not every cause is worth the stress or risk.

The ability to accept the things which we cannot change and instead focus on the things which we can is one of the best skills we can learn to develop in our early lives. 

3. Cast Aside Self-Doubt 

Whenever one sets out on a crusade to reach a goal, it is far too easy for self-doubt to creep in and steal away one’s motivation. 

Here are a few ways to combat self-doubt:

• Try talking to someone.
• Create a positive mantra to chant when your thoughts turn to doubt or failure.
• Remember you haven’t failed if you learned something along the way.
• Accept that goals take time.
• Practice Optimistic thinking. 
• Understand that it is okay to adjust course along the way.

4. Learn To Think Outside Of The Box

When it comes to creating an entrepreneurial mindset, it is imperative that one also hones their creative problem-solving skills.

You will find that the most successful people in this world are free thinkers. No idea or dream is too “out there” to try. 

For a better breakdown of learning how to creatively problem-solve, be sure to check out my article, The One Key Skill You Need To Reach Your Goals Effectively. 

5. Celebrate Others

A huge part of developing a healthy, goal-oriented mindset is being able to celebrate others’ successes! 

A simple compliment can go a long way, and it will leave you both feeling happy. 

This step is especially important when it comes to growing a brand or starting a new project. Those that remember your kindness will return the favor when it comes to your turn to shine. 

“If you’re not reaching back to help anyone, then you’re not building a legacy.”

― Germany Kent

6. Never Give Up

Keep going; keep trying! We have only truly failed when we give up. 

Perseverance is the key to accomplishing any long-term goal.

We may not always feel motivated, but we should always keep going, even if we’re just taking baby steps. 

“It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down. All that matters is you get up one more time than you were knocked down.”

― Roy T. Bennett

STEP 2: ENTER THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF FREELANCE 

When I first discovered the freelance world, I couldn’t believe I had not considered it sooner!

Each person’s journey will be unique as they search for the perfect work-from-home job, but for me, the perfect stay-at-home job presented itself in the form of ESL. 

Now the hours were a little odd but absolutely worth it. The job was truly everything I had been searching for. 

The level of freedom that came with the switch to working from home was overwhelming.

I hadn’t felt so in control of my time in years! I hardly even knew what to do with it. 

Now you are probably thinking, ‘Well, that’s great and all, but how do I just magically find one of these freelance jobs?’ 

I am so glad that you asked!

Here are the two sites that I have found the most helpful during my freelance search:

• FlexJobs – Now this site is not free, but I have found that it is worth every cent. They do have several different plans depending on your budget, and they are a completely telecommuting job search site. 
• Indeed – The site is free to use; though it does not specifically cater to freelance work, they DO have a search parameter for it. Indeed is undoubtedly worth checking once in a while to see what’s available. 

Other great resources include the groups and community pages on Facebook! 

There are so many types of online jobs out there. Some examples include Virtual assistants, Transcription, Data Entry, and writing. 

It might seem small and insignificant but being able to work from home and take back your time is such SUCH a game changer! 

And remember, not all freelance jobs are created equal. It is important to be aware of each position’s time restraints and flexibility. 

Now, finding a job online and working for someone else is just one option when it comes to looking for freelance work. 

Other freelance opportunities you might want to consider include:

• Starting a business.
• Starting a blog.
• Starting a YouTube channel.
• Becoming an influencer.

Or honestly, a combination of multiple freelance jobs is a totally viable option and adheres to the idea that you should diversify your income. 

STEP 3: GENERATE PASSIVE INCOME

Passive income is defined as income that requires little to no effort to maintain and earn. Passive or “turn-key” income is probably the most crucial step when it comes to achieving a time-rich lifestyle. 

Now, how does one begin to generate a passive income?

Well, there are a lot of ways one could do this. 

My husband and I personally chose to delve into Real Estate to meet this need. 

We acquired a rental property fairly early on into our marriage, thus creating a steady stream of passive income.

Now there are a lot of ways to generate passive income:

• Start a blog – It should be no surprise that blogging is an excellent way to earn money while you sleep. 
• Create an app – There are so many resources at our fingertips when it comes to learning to design things on the web. With enough dedication, anything is possible! 
• Start investing – Do your research and start investing in stocks or real estate. 
• Buy property – There are many options when it comes to purchasing a property. You could flip houses or turn a home into a rental or vacation property! 
• Host a vacation rental – Have some extra space like a mother-in-law apartment or casita? Consider turning the space into a vacation rental and marketing it on sites like Airbnb. 

The options are endless! So get creative with your plans. It is always a good idea to diversify your streams of income.

“Every pound is a seedling. Invest your seedlings to create a tree. Re-invest your seedlings to grow a forest.”

– George Choy

CONCLUSION 

Once you have accomplished creating an entrepreneurial mindset, started a freelance job, and have begun generating a passive form of income, it can be tempting to sit back and let your newly found free time pass you by.

Instead, use this time to continue towards new goals and adventures! 

Invest more time in multiple streams of passive income, finish writing that book you have been working on for five years, or attend your first yoga class! 

Use your new time wealth wisely, and be sure to create a schedule that is conducive to continuous growth! 

You’ve got this!

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Have a bright day!