While most all humans zombie through life shackled to voluntary slavery. We do the opposite. We work for ourselves. We are self-sufficient. We need nothing from nobody. We do what we want – when we want – with whom we want.
#2 We are in focused pursuit of personal greatness.
Inside each of us is greatness. Greatness defined only by us. We can only fulfill this greatness through acknowledging its existence and in its pursuit.
#3 Life – “Time” is more important than money.
In life, we are born and then we die. In between is time. Life-Time. That time is finite. Money is infinite. First we trade time for money. And then, we trade money for time.
#4 Without Health: freedom, time, and money means very little.
Our goal is to live a long, active, cognitive, and healthy life. We eat right most of the time. We exercise regularly. We drink in moderation.
#5 Cashflow is King!
Building passive and semi-passive income streams in excess of our living expenses is a requirement for freedom and the good life.
Cashflow is King
Cash is Queen
Debt is the Joker
#6 We become and then live debt-free.
In our country it is now acceptable to zombie through life a slave to the creditor. In the Good Life we vanquish debt and live free from debt’s whip relentlessly thrashing at our backs.
#7 We have nice things but nice things don’t have us.
We do not buy material objects exclusively to impress others. Look around at all the baloney going on in the life of the average American adult. Driving fancy cars, wearing expensive watches and clothing, and living paycheck to paycheck or worse. Not us.
#8 We work daily to silence the noise.
The noise in our heads (the Monster), the noise of the media, the noise from our critics – all must be silenced.
#9 We learn from every mistake.
In order to learn from mistakes we must be willing to make mistakes. In order to make mistakes we must be attempting something new, extraordinary, or risky. We step out of our comfort zones and try. We fall down seven times and get up eight.
#10 Self-awareness is our super-power.
There is nothing more real than self-awareness. Most lack it, uncomfortably so. We possess it. Looking in the mirror – directly into our own eyes – we recognize that anything is possible.
#11 In life we can have Anything we want – but we cannot have everything.
We understand this concept and it drives us towards our goals. We can have six pack abs but we cannot have donuts every day. We can become debt-free and financially independent, but we cannot also live above our means.
#12 We are constantly moving towards our “Mission”.
Mission is a fancy word for goal.
Every single day we are doing something in direct alignment with achieving one of our Good Life goals. Eyes, attention, focus on the prize.
#13 We understand that our potential is nearly limitless.
If someone can do it. We can do it. If someone can live debt-free – we can live debt-free. If someone can create financial freedom – we can create financial freedom. If someone can live the Good Life. We can and will live the Good Life.
#14 We play the long game with money, success, happiness, love, and karma.
Consistency over time wins every time. We are not interested in get rich quick schemes. We are not interested in being a one hit wonder. We are not interested in one night stands and scandalous love affairs. We are faithful, loyal, and trustworthy. We do the right thing – even when no one is looking.
#15 It is not us versus the world. It is us versus us.
Pointing fingers at people and circumstances is an easy path to excuses. The only real fight, we have, is with ourselves. Recognizing and then vanquishing the “Monster” is required. This is not a one-time event. This is a daily event.
#16 We work to galvanize our autonomy.
Autonomy: freedom from outside influence. Autonomy is required for the Good Life.
#17 We recognize that happiness is not a destination.
Happiness is not a destination where arrival allows for celebration. Happiness is a choice that must be made each and every day. Understanding that happiness is not an achievable constant is empowering.
#18 The Journey is the destination.
There are two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other direction. The older fish nods and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
The young fish say hello and continue swimming. Soon after, one young fish looks at the other and asks, “What the heck is water?”
This is water. The journey is water. Life is water.
#19 Hard Now Easy Later.
We do the hard now so that later it is easy. We do now what others will not so that later we can live like others cannot. Abs or donuts? Cash or credit. Hard now easy later.
#20 What is the best way to live?
Socrates asked this question of everyone he met back in ancient Greece. We ask this question to ourselves, every day.
#21 Get Rich First.
We get rich first. We do not look rich first.
#22 We attack our addictions.
We are all addicted to something that is making success harder to come by. We recognize this fact and attack. Whatever the addiction we work to curb or eliminate. Booze, attention, food, lust, porn, tobacco, caffeine, rage, Zillow (just making sure you’re paying attention), television, fantasy football, and so on. Curb or eliminate.
#23 We are building a financial moat.
We are writing the blueprints, measuring the job site, acquiring the equipment, and getting to work NOW on our financial moat. The moat will be constructed around us and our family. Achieving the financial moat requires debt freedom and financial freedom.
And that my friend is the Good Life list of Principles. Really, in no particular order, other than Freedom being, always, #1 on the list.
This list may grow. This list may shrink, with one principle combining with another. We’ll decide. You and I will decide the number of Principles and the order as we grow towards the Good Life.