“The great revolution in the history of man, past, present and future, is the revolution of those determined to be free.” – John F. Kennedy
What does freedom mean to you?
For those of us in America, we live it daily. However, we tend to lose focus on the fact that we had to fight for it; we earned it. Many lost their lives fighting for it in the Revolutionary War, many have lost their lives defending, and many will continue to do so for generations to come.
But let’s dive into the word a little more. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines freedom as “the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action”.
Although in broad spectrum Americans are “free”, there are many choices or actions most make on a daily basis that are very much forced upon us.
Let’s talk about time – the most valuable asset we have. How do you occupy your time? Is it exactly how you envision? Is it without constraint or coercion? Do you choose how your time is spent on a daily basis? I’d be willing to bet that most aren’t employing their time exactly how they would like to. I’d also be willing to bet that the primary constraint has to do with money.
Money is a necessary evil. We require money to pay for life’s basic needs (food, water, shelter), but we also strive for more money to enjoy one’s desires and life’s luxuries. The Catch 22 behind this is that most will trade their time, their most valuable asset, to earn more money. Doesn’t seem right, does it? Doesn’t sound like true freedom, does it?
What if there was a way to earn the money you both need, and want, without having to trade your time for money? What if you could choose how you earn a paycheck, choose to learn, choose to give, and choose how you spend every moment of your life?
Well….there is. It’s called passive income. Passive income is money you make when you are sleeping. Passive income allows you to choose how you spend your time because you no longer have to trade it in for an earned income. Passive income will help you create financial freedom.
Now, there will be a degree of initial work where you are trading your time for money, but the goal is to get to a point where you aren’t regularly trading in that time and you can sit back and focus on what you want to do, without necessity, coercion, or constraint.
Don’t get me wrong, it is still work, but YOU are making that choice, you aren’t being forced to make that choice – FREEDOM.
Passive income can be found in a variety of differing real estate investing options. I personally like buying quality turnkey rental properties from companies like Storehouse 3:10 Ventures. Other options are private lending, buying mortgage notes, investing in syndications as a limited partner, or purchasing shares in a crowdfunding platform. All of them are great ways to start down the path to creating freedom.
Guys like Richard Henry Lee and Thomas Jefferson fought for their freedom so they can make their own choices on how they want to live their lives; so can you. Go against the grain, take bold action, and start spending your time the way you want to. Please share this article with others and challenge them to take action as well.
Written by Stuart Grazier