The #1 Value that Underlies Everything I Do on Finance Your Freedom

Open Road Laura Jeanne
photo by Laura Jeanne
I received an email yesterday from someone who told me that, with Finance Your Freedom, I had somehow decided that “money is the most important thing in life.” The email author stated that my view now seems to be that “we can’t live without money, so why not make as much as possible?”

So I Want to Set the Record Straight on Two Points

  • First Point: I have nothing against anyone who makes tons of money. If you’re filthy rich and you’ve done it ethically, then good for you. I also have nothing against you if you’re dirt poor, or middle class, or anything in between. Money is a non-issue to me because it’s not a currency that I care about.

Which brings me to my second point . . .

  • Second Point: Freedom is the currency that I care about. Period. This blog is called Finance your Freedom because money seems to be the main issue that over 500 survey respondents perceived as standing between them and their liberation from corporate American and jobs that they hate and a bunch of other bad situations. (In the spirit of full disclosure, you should know that I’m going to occasionally do a bait-and-switch with the money thing and instead talk about a bunch of “woo-woo” issues that probably underlie lack of freedom).

Here’s the deal: I make a full-time income (and have liberated myself from corporate America) because of my websites. And someone smarter than I told me that the reason I make a full-time income doing this nonsense is because I’m able to meet people where they’re at and provide value that’s relevant to the world as they see it. And someone even smarter than that person said that to communicate effectively, you need to enter the conversation that your reader is having in their own minds.

So if this money-gibberish is what’s needed, then that’s what I’m going to talk about.  Also, I would have benefited from this stuff two years ago. In fact, one of the single most significant events of my adult life was when I realized that I’d never have to work for anyone else again.

Was this realization entirely about money? Hell no.

Did I need to get the money thing handled before I could come to this realization? Yes (at least for me).

But here’s what needs to be unequivocally clear:

Finance your Freedom is about Freedom.

This websitse is not called Finance your Ego; it’s not called Finance Your Bank Account; it’s not called Finance your Vacation, etc.

Am I going to have shit for sale? Of course. Am I going to be making money from this site? Yep. But is making money FYF’s primary value? Not at all. My blogs have the WORST return on investment of everything I do, and they require MORE TIME than everything else I could do; I could double my income as soon as next week if I stopped blogging.

So yeah, I do this shit because I enjoy it and because it’s apparently of value to some people.

If our values are aligned, then I’d love it if you’d subscribe to Finance Your Freedom:


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Viewing 10 Comments

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    Great response to the nay-sayers. To hell with them. In the short time that I have discovered your blog it has helped me a great deal. I'll be looking forward to FYF and anything else you sell/give away/create.
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    Americans have such a distain for someone else making money. Maybe everyone does. Unless they have it.

    Once you have enough to support yourself who cares what's left over. I like the way you answered this guy.

    I for one would like to be where you are now, as soon as I possibly can. Fiancial freedom sounds very good to me.

    Thanks
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    If one thinks they need lots of money to find freedom, they need only blame themselves for having a long list of "needs". Many people make do with very little, and therefore "buy" freedom with a small income and good spending habits. How much money one needs to be free depends entirely on what one is willing to give up. And that's different for everybody.
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    It's interesting to me how uncomfortable people are with this topic. The truth is that if you live in a capitalist country where you have to pay for stuff freedom REQUIRES money. Even if you live in a self-sustaining commune you still have to pay taxes! The amount of money is different for everyone, but freedom ALWAYS requires money. It takes money to survive, even if only a little bit.
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    Holy shit, Clay, you're trying to make MONEY off of this? What the hell are you thinking?

    Oh wait, the same thing the rest of us are thinking.

    Freedom requires money.

    Keep rocking.
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    Ok, I am one of the "nay sayers" (sort of :). I certainly support Clay's decision to emphasize the "Freedom" (yay Clay) and also "enter the conversation that the readers are having". AND there are a few things that need to be said.
    1)The psychologist Martin Seligman has proven in his research that happiness and money are COMPLETELY UNCORRELATED. No relationship, zip.
    2)In my experience money is about 10% of the problem of freedom (or liberation). I work a 40 hour job that is far from inspiring to me, but I live a very rich, fulfilling and meaningful life. Why? Because my fundamental human needs are being met (need for connection and for contribution) and because I have a PLAN that I know I won't be working this job forever. Freedom is a self-created, moment-to-moment experience. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYTHING
    3)Clay himself didn't start out this site with the goal of making money (correct me if I'm wrong, Clay). He did it because it was his passion, he was inspired to write, it was a joyful and fulfilling process for him, and he's a damn good writer, presenting inspiring and thought-provoking pieces.
    I write a lot more about this at http://lifestyledesignschool.com.
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    Well ... money isn't everything but it surely isn't nothing as well !
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    Good post!
    Freedom, brings happiness or satisfaction when a person uses it to contribute his/her talent(s) to others. Freedom is doing what one is passionate about doing. I am an artist and writer and am passionate about my work. Like many entrepreneurs, I did it for free until I could get paid.
    Granted one does need money, and the idea is to find a way to be paid by bringing value to society or individuals through one's passion.
    Parents of either sex can be passionate about staying home t raise their children. One of the happiest people I ever met was a home schooling stay at home Dad. His wife loved her family but was passionate about her work in science that fortunately produced a good income. Had Dad worked they might have had more money, but they would have had a lot less freedom.
    A recent study showed that the Danish people are the happiest on earth. Somehow they have worked out the finances of having everyone make a living doing whatever they want to contribute of produce. The crown prince apparently likes woodworking. Everyone makes a decent living. This reported on one of the networks in one of those shows like 60 Minutes.
    Apparently this works because Denmark has a small, well educated homogeneous population. Apparently everyone pays a high percentage of their salary or earned income in taxes, and the money from the highest earners is redistributed. Possibly this is s downside for the high earners. The other factor is most of the grunt jobs are done by immigrants or temporary workers from poor countries.
    However, apparently most of the Danish people are satisfied with their lives. They feel they are a part of a community.
    Why do people some people in our society think that earning money can only be done by doing jobs that one is not passionate about?
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    Great post, money is freedom in this world, they are just two different sides of the same coin, no pun intended. First post of yours I've read but I have subscribed, looking forward to more great content.
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    Judy: Yay, very well-put.

    Dan: Money may bring a certain kind of freedom, but it does not bring "liberation" (Clay's word, not mine). In my experience this is common confusion and a trap. If you want "liberation" (a life of meaning, purpose, passion, and connection) then pursue passion and meaning, not money. Money is a by-product of passion, as demonstrated by Clay's success with this blog.
 
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