Brick by Brick Personal Financial Freedom

One of the great privileges of serving as a commercial banker for over 30 years was the many opportunities I had to visit with highly successful business people.  The most impactful stories I heard were from the entreprenuers who had a similar background as me.  They started with nothing but over the years built great businesses, warm loving families and personal wealth.  In short, they were great leaders at work and at home.  As I watched these folks, I noticed there were some common themes which I would like to share with you.  I am hopeful these traits will help you build personal financial freedom brick by brick.  For it is only with the freedom to choose that you will find true happiness and develop into a great leader.

“If you always work for someone else, then you will always work for someone else.”

The above quote was passed on to me by an elderly man who had retired wealthy after serving many years as the CFO of a large privately held firm.  He told me he learned it from one of his mentors within the company.  After working long hours for many years, these two men talked about personal investments on a plane headed to another business meeting.  My friend was asked by his mentor if he was saving.  My friend replied that he and his wife were saving a good percentage of their pay.  The mentor then asked what they were doing with the savings and my friend replied they were just keeping it in a savings account because he did not have time to make investments in the stock market or anything else because he was always working.  That is when the mentor dropped the above quote on him.

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this from people.  They work so hard to make a good salary, etc. but they allow no time to do anything with it.  Get your money working for you.  I learned this in my thirties.  I continue to hone my investing skills and make my money work for me.  The freedom that gives you cannot be explained.  I hope some day you can experience it.

“Son, if you watch the nickels and dimes, the dollars will take care of themselves.”

The gentleman who taught me this grew up in Southern Louisiana.  He was 10 years old before he experienced electricity in his home when his dad moved them to a small house just outside Houston so his dad could work at a refinery and provide a better life for his family.  That gentleman worked as a salesman for many years saving his nickels and dimes so one day he could start his own business.  He became a multimillionaire and he never lost his core behavior of being what I always will refer to him as… a true gentleman.

So many people get a raise and then elevate their style of living.  They save very little because they are always bent upon projecting and image of success.  These same people complain that they are chained to their desk because they cannot afford to quit.  Start saving now, even if it is only “nickels and dimes”.  Believe me, if you get enough of them, they turn into dollars.

Think about it.  Without financial freedom, do people hesitate making  decisions because they are afraid of losing their jobs?  The leaders or coworkers who are filled with fear usually don’t do the right thing all the time, they do the things that serve their needs of maintaining the new cars, making those large house payments, keeping the kids in the latest styles, etc.  Is that good for your organization?  Don’t you want to work with people who freely speak up, who do not come to work because they have to but because they want to, people who do not fear but who are fearless?

I hope you will seek personal financial freedom not in words but in deeds.  I recently read a new book titled Your Financial Success that I think can provide a good simple guide for you.  It is in electronic format. Spend the $4.00 to order the book. Here is the link to buy it on Amazon.

 Once you put you and your family on a path to financial freedom, you will find making decisions easier and doing the right thing just feels good!  You will be a better leader at work and at home.

By the way, I retired at age 55.  Why?  Because I had the financial freedom to do it!  🙂  You can too……. brick by brick.

I encourage you to sign up for the Inspirational Thought of the Day on the home page of this website.  It’s free and there is nothing like starting your morning off with a Good Thought!


  1. Pingback: Brick by Brick … to Personal Financial Freedom | DANIELRMURPHY.COM

  2. Pingback: Gregory Smith

  3. csoul   •     Author

    Thank you!

  4. Pingback: Vanessa Smith

  5. csoul   •     Author

    I hope you will come back and visit the site often, Vanessa!

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