Busy = Steps Closer To Retirement In Style ??

It’s a bluff, I found that out the hard way.

Once upon a time, I was very busy as an entrepreneur. I would wake up early, arrive at work before others. Worked till 6pm, went home for dinner and then back to the office till nearly midnight.

The words that were ringing in my ears … study hard (yup did that), work hard (and so I was doing it) and retire in style (long time ago, I believed in that).

Were you told the same formula ?

Running my own business, I was in debts. In fact, as the biz grew bigger, I had more debts. And when a crisis hits, my bank accounts were like my school report books. What a failure … that’s what I used to call myself.

What did I do?

Worked even harder on weekdays and even in weekends.

I spent a lot of time in the office. I thought I was being great by sacrificing myself.

But my head that caused the problems could not solve the problems. Came back home, bad mood, took it out on the woman I married and the kids we produced. … what a failure …. That’s what I told myself again.

Failure ! Failure ! Failure ! I was good for nothing. Like what my Dad called me when he was frustrated.

People tell me…. Go attend courses by Robert Kyosaki … nah, it’s a scam… I often said.

If working hard did not get me rich; if study so many years did not get me rich ; how can listen to some foreigners can grow rich ? he just wanted my money ? if he is so rich, he should teach for free !

How stupid can I get ?

I consulted rich people, those people who run large trading firms … they wont teach.

Can you relate to this ?

Eventually my business failed and I went to work for others.

Working for others is a very strange encounter.

I worked from home and suddenly I was making more money and less busy.

It felt strange … work from home, work less and get more money ? Cannot be ley, my mind kept telling me.

And travel in style ? … hmm…. Life was good. What a smart boy … I told myself.

I had more money, I gave my family a better roof and material possessions.

Seeing them well-provided for, I fell into the trap of wanting more money to give them more, and without realizing it, I was being busy again … what the heck ?

One day, I attended an event by Tony Robbins. He said many things and one of the things he said hit me very hard … “activity does not equate achievement’.

Ding…. The bell rang in my head for many many days.

I re-look at the ways I lived my life. I was busy and achieving nuts. People called me successful based on the cars and private properties. But yet, I felt that I could not retire as soon as I want. I was told to retire at 65 !

I don’t want to retire as a weak old man. I want to retire young and with energy to do things I love and play with my motorcycles and loved ones.

I studied many ways to leverage.

And I have more free time and yet breaking sales records in the industry.

A good friend/investor suggested me to read this book “ 4 hour workweek by Tim Ferris “. I applied some tips into my life and bingo ! I had more free time and yet breaking sales records in the industry.

What did I do with more free time?

Keep fit, read books, acquire properties to give me passive income.

I want to have passive income to replace my pay slip.

I want to stop travelling for business. I want to be home for my loved ones. I want to travel with them as often as possible. I want to show them the places I have been. The sights I have seen, the food I have tasted, the snow I have felt in my hands and the culture I have immersed.

Bit by bit, tiny streams of income add up to a huge cash-flow every month, in a predictable, profitable and passive manner.

One weekend, a strange thing happened. I know I have no choice but to fire my boss (that was several years ago). And I did. Hip hip hurray !

I am finally retired… young, energetic, healthy, mentally sharp and wealthy.

To you, who are reading this, please don’t make the same mistakes that I did.

Being busy may not be a good thing. Activity does not equal to achievements.

If you don’t change the way you do things, one day, you may become old and burnt out. One day you may wake up with a weak body and a weaker bank account. One day, you may wake up with no one loving you. Or worse still, like a few of my “friends”, they did not wake up.

Be Clever with Money…. Learn safe leveraging.

Be Wise with Time.

With Money, you can spend it to buy Time.

With Time, you can chase your passions, live your dream life.

Everyone can learn this. Everyone can enjoy passive income.

Yes, you can do it.

Love, Marko
Investor, Practitioner and Full-Time Coach