Developing investment mentality

Developing an investment mindset doesn't begin and end with thinking about your money. When you look at your money, you want it to work for you: to take a small fund and build it into a larger one that will help create an income stream for you later, whether you're hoping to build money for retirement or to have additional funds for a specific purpose. In order to make the most out of the investment opportunities available to you, however, you have to start by learning how to invest in the thing that's most important to your ultimate success: yourself! Invest in YOU During Your Free Time Popular culture today teaches most people to throw money away as fast as they can get their hands on it--or, in some cases, even faster. Nearly half of Americans carry credit card debt, and among those who do, it averages more than $15,000. While responses vary as to why this is such a serious problem--many theorize that rising debt is due to an increase in cost of living that is rising faster than wage increases can keep up with it--part of the reason so few Americans are able to live an investment lifestyle and therefore increase their available funds is simple: they're consuming the kind of trash that leads to a poor mindset and a poor lifestyle. When you put in the same poor quality consumption as the rest of America, you're going to live poor--just like everyone else. If you want to make a real difference in your finances, it's time to change your entire mindset and start genuinely investing in yourself. For example, when I was first learning how to invest in real estate, I spent my free time reading real estate books and looking into properties to purchase. When you're ready to advance yourself, you'll use your leisure time to your benefit: building a side income, increasing your skills, or learning more about your real interests, rather than staring mindlessly at the TV or internet.