One of the serious ironies I find is that we live in a society where
there is an emphasis on making money yet our public school system does
little to teach us anything other than how to be employees. I don't
mean to suggest that there is anything wrong with being employed, but I
do believe that having a job, alone, is not a particularly good way to
achieve wealth. It is the rare person who rises above financial middle
class through employment. As employees, we are focused on our jobs and
have little time left to make real money. The existing educational
system does little or nothing to teach or encourage us to learn how to
create and accumulate real wealth. Unless and until the focus changes,
we are on our own.
Most of us have been taught to get a job, work hard, save our money,
and, nowadays, invest in a 401(k) and/or a Roth IRA. In more recent
years, experience has been teaching us that such a course of action
assures little but mediocrity. Our educational system has been an abject
and unmitigated failure in teaching us to do anything other than work
for someone else. The system assures a lifelong struggle for most to
pay the bills. It fails to teach its students ways to generate wealth.
Have you ever attended any school that taught you how to make money?
Have you ever attended any class that taught you how to make money? If
you have, I suspect you are a rare individual and I commend you for
seeking out that important element of your own education. As I have
discussed before, there are seminars, DVDs, books, and website
instruction available to any of us who seek to further our education
regarding creation and generation of wealth. If we are to increase our
knowledge in this area, we have little choice but to avail ourselves of
these resources. Though "how-to" books sometimes sell well, most people
simply do not take the time to educate themselves in the area of their
own financial well-being. I have heard people argue that they don't
study these areas either because they don't have the time or because
they don't believe they are smart enough. Neither argument is very
compelling.
Those who say they don't have enough time to learn how to make
themselves wealthy seem to be missing the point. Would we rather
struggle incessantly to pay bills while we constantly add to our debt,
or would we prefer to have enough money to live life comfortably into
and through retirement? I once heard a great teacher say: "If you are
willing to do for six months what others aren't, you can do for the rest
of your life what others can't." That statement is profound. The point
is simple. If you are willing to rearrange your priorities for some
period such as six months (or longer) so that you can devote time to
increase your knowledge about making money, you will enhance the
financial quality of your life. It truly is a question of priorities.
If one is unwilling to make the effort to improve their knowledge in an
area which will undoubtedly improve their life, then they are probably
right where they belong.
Those who fear that they are not smart enough to improve their knowledge
about making money are most likely kidding themselves. Unfortunately,
we have been repeatedly told that making money must be left in the hands
of the experts. We have been told that investing is too complex for the
average person and they must rely on someone else to handle their
money. Quite frankly, I think that is nonsense. Trust me, no one cares
as much about your money as you do. Learning to make and keep money is
not limited to the realm of a sorcerer. Almost anyone who is willing to
make the effort can do it. Unless we try, we will never know whether we
can learn or not. Only if we try and find that we are incapable should
we give up. It is at least worth the effort to begin the learning
journey. I suggest you begin by reading something like Robert
Kiyosaki's /Rich Dad, Poor Dad/ or perhaps the new book co-authored by
Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki entitled /Why We Want You to be Rich/.
Both books are inspiring and can be eye-opening. They may just start
you on your journey to change your life for the better. They won't take
you step by step, but they will show you that there is a path worth
taking. Later next year, my new book will be published showing specific
methods and strategies that will help you blaze your own trail to
greater success.
Where you are and where you go from here is in your hands. Great
financial success is available to you, but you must act to attain it.
Our educational system has not provided us with this area of knowledge.
We must seek it actively. To do otherwise will leave this right where
we are now. For most, that is a place they do not want to be.
Good Trading!
Bill Kraft
Mr. Kraft's past articles are posted on our website for your review.
-- by the Dividend Investor Team
