As an "Abundant Life Coach" I get asked about the meaning of "financial abundance" very often. What this means to you can be the difference between living the lifestyle of your dreams, or settling for something less than your dreams. I want you to live the life of your dreams!
Here, then, are 5 Essential Factors of Financial Abundance:
"The Abundant Mindset"
Thousands upon thousands of books, articles, media, programs, and so much more have been produced that discuss the awesome power of our minds, and the influence of our thinking upon our lives. It is difficult to say enough or emphasize enough that truth. As I see it, we are exactly as we think.
In my work, I recommend the adoption of an "Abundant" mindset. This means so much more than finance or money, however, for the purposes of this article, I will discuss abundance only as it applies to the world of money and finance.
A financial abundance mindset means enjoying an abundant amount of money, and yet not allowing greed. Greed does not work (sorry, Gordon Gekko). Of course "financial abundance" will be a relative concept; it will probably mean something different to each person. Greed, however, is fairly obvious; It is almost like knowing (within your mid or heart) the difference between right and wrong.
Further, a financial abundance mindset means having the monetary means or resources to enjoy an abundant lifestyle, yet balancing your financial wealth with philanthropy and generous giving (see point 4). When one's personal motives are clearly defined and one's goals are aligned with those motives, then financial abundance becomes clear.
"Specialized Knowledge"
The largest difference between the rich and poor (or the "haves" and "have-nots") is knowledge. Or, more specifically, the largest difference is a specialized knowledge; Meaning that they have the "right" knowledge and also know how to use that knowledge to their advantage. In other words, specialized knowledge is the information or data itself, coupled with the wisdom to know how to use the information or data.
For many, specialized knowledge is an academic education such as medical or law school, while for others this might mean computer programming, aviation repair, or something. Further, many of those with a financial education know how to leverage their own money to make more money. Obviously the point is that specialized knowledge translates to earning ability.
"The Power of Compounding Interest and Investing"
For many people, diligent savings and investment of a consistent percentage of income over significant lengths of time has lead to financial abundance. I would certainly add that economic factors always play a significant role with regard to risk in investments. Even so, living well within one's means while investing and saving can very often lead to financial abundance.
"Generous Giving"
Generosity does not necessarily mean giving away or donating money. Mr. Zig Ziglar has said: "If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want."
This is so very true. It must be an unwritten law of nature that over time, our generosity is paid back several times over. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, and yet employing an attitude of generosity is always a safe bet for a great return. And, if nothing else, it is an illustration of excellence of character.
"What You Love Over Time"
We should seek ways to turn what we love to do into a good living. I am a firm believer that when we do what we love doing, money very often comes as a byproduct, because our focus is not so much on making money as it is on enjoyment and lifestyle. Over time, money tends to take care of itself in large part when we are doing what we enjoy, especially when it helps others.
In conclusion, the very first point – having an abundant mindset – sums up all of the points I have made in this article. When we do what we love to do; when we are generous and seek to help others; when we live within our means and save money; when we always seek a more specialized knowledge … we then have an abundant mindset, and are bound to realize financial abundance.