OFW, family members and the youth that will enter college, will decide on their future based on how much money they can earn on their future jobs. OFWs will try to get out of the country in search of a greener pasture, family members will try to help their kids be an OFW and the youth will take courses that will make them an OFW, such as nurses and domestic helpers.
This in a way, is the wrong frame of mind with regards to being financially free. It is not how much money you can earn with a job. Its irrelevant. Its what you do with the money you have, no matter how big or small.
OFW
Give me one OFW that is financially free. That is, even he does not work, their families can still survive for a lot of years. No OFW can be financially free just by earning more than anyone else in the Philippines. Its a fact... Being financially free is not measured by your pay check on what country you are in. Its in the amount of time you spend on planning your investments.
Most ofws will spend their money once they return to the Philippines for a brief vacation. Then after a month or two, they burned their money and will try to get a loan to get back abroad. Its a cycle. Is this something you can see yourself doing when you are 70 years old? I guess not. I'm sure people will tell you, I'll save enough money by being an OFW and start a business in the Philippines. Ok. That is a great plan. In fact, most OFWs will have this kind of goal. But the sad thing is, how can you become a business owner with the money you can't afford to risk, without any knowledge in business? Are you sure you'll be able to keep your new business afloat? 90% of businesses fail in their first year of conception. Microsoft went bankrupt in its second year. What makes you think just starting a business will make you financially free or even succeed? Ideas are good and great. But action and execution is what makes a difference. A businessman is rich and financially free because he spent a lot of time studying how to run a business, how to make a good investment of money. Which, OFWs lack because they have spent their whole lives as consumers.
Family Members
Family members are the main reason why OFWs will never be able to be free financially. Most of them are parents who has no knowledge of investing and no self control. They have lived most of their lives in poverty and when money comes, they burn it by buying motor vehicles, houses or expensive clothing. They want to tell their neighbors that they are doing well. That they are better. While their son / daughter breaks their back working, the parents are living the life.
You know the typical ofw that will "sacrifice everything" for their family. Even the sad of emotion of being away from loved ones that breaks their heart are overcome, so just to give them a better future. The mass media has over exaggerated our ofws. For me, I think, money should never change your character or attitude. A bigger salary should not affect what you want to do in life. A bigger pay slip should not affect the feeling of being away from your loved ones. No matter what your sugar coated reason is for leaving. Let's face it. Its all about the money.
Money should never be the reason. Its just a tool to keep score of how you are doing. Your kids can only be young for a few years, once they became adults, they are not fun to play with anymore. And they may resent you for leaving them behind. It will be awkward to talk to them in the end and even though you want them to be grateful to you for "sacrificing" just to put them in a good school, they will never feel that emotion. All you did was lend them money so they can graduate. The feeling of having a mother or a father is not there. No matter how much you say or explain it to them. Its still "action speaks louder than words".
We are only in this world for a very short time. What's on the other side is still unknown. And I try to think that there's no other side. If there is. There's no point in making investments and living in the present. If all things are good on the other side, it defeats the purpose of improving yourself here. If there is the other side, there is no feeling of "time is running out" and we will only waste our time away.
The Youth
Last night I was watching TV. There was a contestant in a game show in primetime that wants to be an engineer. And the host asked why. The girl answered, because Civil Engineers get paid more than Architects. It surprised me. Because I'm an engineer. And in a 3rd world country. I know how much is an engineer's salary. This girl will be disappointed, because his goal is money. And will probably take Nursing once she realize that engineering is not that high paying. At least for the first few decades in the field. An engineer's salary in the Philippines is a measly P6,000.
These kind of youth we have right now, have no dreams. Earning a high salary is not a dream. Motivated by money, they will have nothing to offer to society. They will have no value to give to the community. Instead of taking a course in college which they love, they'll be spending their lives chasing after money. I feel sorry for them. Can't you just take a course in fine arts because you like to draw and its your passion? Many says there's no money in fine arts, but if that makes you really happy, that's enough reason to take it. You can always learn about making money later. And any skill can be learn. Especially making money and investing. Why waste 5 - 10 years taking a course that you didn't choose. Its just doesn't make any sense.
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