167 weeks in a row. 

 

That’s how long I’ve been writing this newsletter. Some weeks it’s easy. I have an idea in mind and the words effortlessly flow to my fingers. Other weeks, I have no ideas. All I feel is resistance. This was one of those weeks.

 

Monday morning is the time I schedule to sit down and write. But this week, I felt stuck staring at a blank screen. I started searching through my emails and folders for inspiration. But nothing came. 

 

So I decided to change my environment and go for a walk.

You know what’s rare these days? 

 

People walking WITHOUT headphones. Technology has us plugged in at all times. It’s no wonder we feel anxious and stressed. When external noise is constantly blasting into your ears. You never have time to be with yourself, your thoughts and your inner wisdom. 

 

Now don’t get me wrong. I love walking and listening to a podcast or audiobook. But I’ve also discovered the benefit of walking without any inputs. If you haven’t done this in a while. Give it a go. 

 

Going for a walk without inputs gave me the creative breakthrough for this newsletter. Try this if you’re feeling stuck or have a problem you need to work through.

You know what’s annoying?

 

The sound of a leaking tap. Over the weekend the tap in our laundry started leaking. I’m no handyman. But I recently fixed a tap at my Mums house (with some expert guidance of course). I knew what I needed. So I drove to Bunnings to buy a seal replacement kit. 

 

When I got home I was searching for the mains water valve to isolate (turns our my engineering career did teach me a thing or two). During my search I discovered three other vales in a green box in our front yard. Turns out one of them is a sprinkler system for the backyard. I had no idea it was there (I’ve only been living here 3 years)! 

 

When symptoms occur (like a leaking tap), it requires investigation. And when you investigate the root cause, you often discover other beneficial things. 

 

The same is true with your finances. 

 

When my clients investigate their income and expenses each month, they often discover income and expenses they didn’t even know they had. We find the leak. Fix the leak. Finding the root cause of your money leaks and fixing them gives you a great sense of satisfaction.

I love my Dad. He is pragmatic and practical when it comes to money. At 76, he still tracks his money by hand and sets himself savings goals. He believes in always making sure your income exceeds your expenses. The security of owning your own home outright. Providing for your family. 

 

His financial discipline has been deeply ingrained in me. 

 

You know what my Dad doesn’t believe in?

 

Investing in yourself (e.g. hiring coaches and mentors). 

 

I’ve always valued saving thanks to my Dad. But as I’ve gotten older, I now value investing in myself more than saving. My Dad sees investing in yourself as an expense. I see it as an investment. 

 

Because you are the golden goose after all. You are the one who lays the golden eggs. 

 

Although we don’t see eye-to-eye on all things, I value my Dad’s insights. My Dad reads this newsletter every week. So I’m sure he will have something to say about this (haha).

Givers gain. 

 

It’s an ethos I believe in. When you put good out into the world, good comes back to you. This is a universal law. But in the past, I’ve been guilty of donating money or giving back in other ways to seek social validation. To make it appear I’m a generous person. But this was an ego-trip. This was pride. 

 

Would you still give if you didn’t receive social validation? 

 

Donating is good for business. It looks good. It’s tax-deductible (most of the time). But when done publicly, it’s a publicity stunt. There’s nothing wrong with that. But let’s call it what it is. A Marketing tactic. 

 

True giving (without the need for social validation) has its own spiritual rewards. Only you can experience this. It’s not only better for you, it’s also better for the recipient. Because when the recipient receives an anonymous donation – they learn to trust in the abundance of the Universe (God). And they don’t feel obliged to repay you in some way in the future. 

 

Next time you want to donate, donate anonymously. Keep it to yourself. And notice the difference it makes. 

Something I’m exploring right now is Family Trusts. 

 

If you haven’t heard of a family trust before they are a legal structure where your assets are managed by a trustee. So your assets aren’t held in your personal name, but in the trust. And you can be the ‘trustee’ (the decision maker) of the trust.

 

Why have I been looking into setting up a family trust?

 

 

Trusts aren’t required when you’re just starting out on your financial journey. But as your wealth grows, it’s important to create an environment for them to grow where they are also protected. This is a conversation to have with your accountant. 

 

Your wealth will only grow to the extent of the environment you create. And when you create trust structures, you are creating an environment for your wealth to grow. 

 

It’s like when new business owners don’t want to register for GST. So the environment they create for earning is capped at $75,000. 

 

If you want to earn more, and build more wealth – make sure you are creating an environment that supports your growth. 

 

 

Reply to this newsletter and let me know.

 

Have a great day,