Are you choosing financial security over freedom?

Getting our priorities right is crucial if we are to make progress. We make decisions based on our priorities and what we really want. If we lack clarity in this area, we face internal conflicts which prevent us from moving forward, since we are not really clear on what the direction is.

If you are used to earned income (income you work to earn), chances are financial security is very important to you. When financial security is very important to you, you become afraid of freedom as you are not sure if you can make it without a regular income.

Most employees hate their jobs but are afraid to walk away because they are not certain they can take care of their families without a salary. They grumble and complain about how dissatisfied they are with their current job but stubbornly refuse to walk through the door to freedom. So they thank God it’s Friday but dread Mondays. They daydream at work but are petrified of following their dreams. Their independence date is always far off on the horizon but as the date draws closer, they keep moving it backward, kicking the can down the road.

What I find the interesting thing is that when they finally get laid off, they cope somehow and eventually get back on their feet, after the first few weeks of blind panic. They got pushed into the deep end of the pool and are forced to swim or sink.

Resolving the internal conflict

I faced this conflict myself for several years. My plan was to spend a maximum of 2 – 3 years on my last job. I ended up spending more than 7 years. Each time the date drew near, I added a year or 2 more. I always had excuses to justify my shifting goalpost. I finally realized I wanted freedom but was unwilling to let go of security. When I became aware of the fact that I had to make a choice between the two, I knew it was up to me. I decided if I had to choose one, that would be freedom.

The moment I made the decision, I was ready to step out of my comfort zone. Less than 6 months later, I walked through the door into the sunshine of freedom. I finally knew what I really wanted. Going for it was no longer a difficult choice.

However, this is a choice we have to make over and over again in different stages of our lives. Years later as a free man, I discovered I had created a new comfort zone where financial security was again the main focus. Most of my investments were low risk hence low returns. I appreciated having all my needs met but I wanted more. I wanted financial freedom. It was time to choose again between security and freedom.

It’s your choice to make

The fascinating thing is that there are no right or wrong answers. It comes down to your choice. There is nothing wrong with where you are. It becomes an issue when you are frustrated, grumbling, and complaining. If you find yourself in this situation, it means you have an internal conflict. You have to decide what it is you really want; what is more important to you. You have to choose between financial security and freedom.