A friend who has been reading this series on turning fifty observed that so far I appear to be sick, fat and stupid. It’s good to have perceptive friends. But just to set the record straight, I feel good, I look good, and I do know what a mutual fund is. (OK, the 401 K I’m not so sure about.)
And actually, I don’t really mind turning fifty. Having lied about the mutual funds, however, I’m not sure you can trust me on that. I do know that fifty doesn’t seem as old as it used to. I have smart, attractive and wise friends who have already been there.
None of them happen to be rich. And if they have mutual funds, they aren’t living off of them. Actually that’s sort of the point of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad books. He defines wealth as having income from assets equal to your expenses. At that point, you can work, but you don’t have to. You can do the work you want to do, and not the work you have to do.
It seems like a worthy goal, but I’m wondering if it is a worthwhile goal. I feel very fortunate that mostly I have always enjoyed my work. Solomon tells us “when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work –this is a gift of God.”
I have a productive life, but it hasn’t produced much money. And practically no assets. So I wonder if I need any, and how much effort I should put into acquiring them. And I wonder if it’s too late. And I wonder if it matters.
Dad didn’t leave many assets when he died last fall, at least not material ones. He invested his money in his ministries, and people he invested his life in will take care of mom. But I don’t think she would mind some mutual funds.
And at this point in my life, I don’t think I would mind either. It would be nice to have the freedom to invest my time in creative endeavors. I don’t worry about dying broke, or about my family not being taken care of. Things are in pretty good shape. But I do worry about dying without have written the books I believe I was meant to write.
And that takes time as well as discipline. Time is money. Or at least that’s what they say.
So post your stock tips below. And be well.
the daysman 