Personal Finance Inspiration

So much of what makes us who we are is our choices as we go along in life. For some, bad choices shape them into bitter individuals, convinced that the world has it out for them and the deck is stacked against you no matter what actions you take. Still others finally hit rock bottom, realize what a mess they have made, and come back with unbridled determination to shape their lives how they see fit. Some try, some fail, some succeed, and the world keeps spinning.

Reading about these experiences in blog format is often akin to reading a story. You don’t really know the blogger personally, but you’ve shared in their emotions, cheered for their successes, and felt the sorrow of their failures. Such stories can also be the kick in the ass you were looking for. There are few things that can put you in a better perspective than reading about someone who had it 10 times worse than you and still came out on top. If that guy/girl can do it, you wager, why can’t I? Why indeed. Unfortunately for all of you, my financial story simply isn’t that exciting. I was too busy being an athlete in High School to worry much about money, and when I got to college I worked a part time job and just dealt with the fact that I was broke. I never tacked on a mountain of debt, never loaded credit cards, never bought a car I couldn’t afford. Looking back I can’t even tell you why, because there was plenty of stuff that I wanted.

Instead, I’m going to give you 3 articles that really helped me iron out my own financial picture. When I graduated college and got a job, I was immediately fascinated with making my money work for me. When I worked as a temp for Vanguard, I wasn’t making much but still invested in the market, still looked for stocks that perked my interest, and I continue to do so today. So much of what people do and why revolves around money, there’s just no denying the power it has over people for both good and bad. I love saving, I love investing, I love finance. The stories of those who succeeded in the face of (sometimes) extreme adversity helped set me on this path, and I never plan on looking back. This is hardly an exhaustive list, and there are plenty of other inspirational bloggers out there, to be sure. So if I missed you, don’t feel bad! I know JD’s article is very recent, but I don’t think they have to be old to have an impact.

I’ll let the articles speak for themselves, in no particular order…:

1. Free at Last! By JD at Get Rich Slowly
2. How I became a Millionaire by Millionaire Mommy Next Door
3. Is your Job Ruining Your Life? by Violent Acres (Read all 3 parts!)

-Xias