Kick Start That Financial Genius Inside of You

Have you ever said to yourself, “I can’t afford it”? What about switching the question around and asking yourself “How can I afford it?”

I have had the opportunity to learn more about real estate investing in the past few years. At the beginning of my journey, I read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. In this book it talks about different ways to switch your mindset and thinking. When you say, “I can’t afford it”, that is a statement, and it allows your brain to stop working. However, when you ask, “How can I afford it?”, that is a question, and your brain is put to work. Changing simple statements in our lives to questions can cause us to think more and take action.

We are the ones that can change ourselves and that can all begin with education. By learning more about how money works, you can gain power over it and begin to build wealth. Kiyosaki shares 10 steps to awaken your financial genius.

1.     Find a reason greater than reality. He suggests determining your wants and don’t wants. I encourage you to make a list for each of these and use them to provide you with determination as you begin or continue your journey.

2.     Make daily choices. Each day you make choices about what you do with your time, money, and what you are putting in your head. Your greatest asset is your mind!

3.     Choose friends carefully. It is important to be true to yourself and be willing to not always go along with the crowd.

4.     Master a formula and then learn a new one. Kiyosaki says, “you become what you study.”

5.     Pay yourself first. It is important to build up your assets and when you fall short, allow the pressure to inspire your financial genius and don’t dip into your savings or investments right away.

6.     Pay your brokers well. Manage and reward people who are smarter than you. You won’t know everything, and it is important to recognize the importance of building up a strong team.

7.     Be okay with getting something from nothing. Financial intelligence is knowing the assets you get for free once you get your money back.

8.     Use assets to buy luxuries. Focus on creating money for yourself that then allows you to buy luxuries.

9.     Choose heroes. Heroes inspire us and emulating them is true power learning.

10.  Teach and you shall receive. It is important to recognize the difference between giving to receive and giving for the joy that it brings. God does not need to receive, but humans need to give.

These steps along with help from mentors has really helped me begin and continue my real estate investing journey. I truly believe that anyone who is willing to put in the work and time can be successful in achieving their financial goals. I hope this blog encourages you to try out one of these steps to awaken your financial genius and if you haven’t already, I highly recommend you read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.

Danielle Groenendijk

Investor Relations