There’s a new paradigm in our economy today. Women are beginning to earn more than men as their focus seems to shift from building a family to building personal wealth. This trend certainly doesn’t rule out starting and raising a family at some time in the woman’s life. But it delays it in favor of creating a personal net worth that provides the woman with total financial independence and security, without a reliance on the income of a spouse.
This is a huge change from the past, and an important one. For generations, the so-called “glass ceiling” dictated how far a woman could go and what she could achieve. The internet has shattered the glass ceiling, along with the notion that women should earn less than men. Success today is gauged by motivation, not by gender.
There are four essential steps for a woman to achieve personal financial independence. They are simple, but very powerful
1. Make a Commitment – Before you can hope to achieve financial independence, you have to want to achieve it. Make a contract with yourself to do whatever is necessary to accomplish the goal, set a deadline for it, and then establish milestones along the way.
2. Get Education and Training – Financial independence is a very realistic goal as long as you have a sound financial education. This step, by the way doesn’t necessarily mean a college degree either. There are many resources available for a woman to gain all of the education and training necessary to understand how to craft future financial security through strategic wealth management.
3. Create a Plan – As with any journey, you need a roadmap to success. By combining sound investment strategies with improved near-term income, you’ll be well on your way. One tip–write it down. If it’s in your head, it’s an idea. When it’s on paper, it’s a plan.
4. Take Action – It sounds pretty obvious, but failing to take action is where many well-conceived plans fail. To start, take small steps, but take them every day. Don’t become overwhelmed with the scope or length of your plan. Use it to envision a better future, and then do something every day to make it happen.
As you set about to craft your golden financial future, you should rely heavily on the internet. Use it to conduct research, to get training, to create income and even to manage your wealth. It’s an advantage your parents’ generation didn’t have, and one that you need to leverage. And remember–you need to think big to go big. Good luck!
