Being in business for yourself is tough…. it’s not for everyone. I know first hand. I am still recovering from a financial blow that nearly crushed my spirits and damaged my faith in humanity. Once things start going down hill, it’s harder than hell to get the momentum back up to keep moving forward. There were times when I felt like just giving up. I questioned what was even the point to carry on? I still get that way sometimes, I admit it. I’ve learned some valuable lessons from my many failures and vowed never to let the same ones happen again.

I am grateful for my struggle though. Why? It really filters out the people who don’t need to be in your life and don’t truely have your best interests in mind. It filters out the people who love you for YOU and NOT for what you can offer them. It filters out the people who believe in you so that the others can fall to the wayside, be forgotten and never enter into your story again. I won’t even give them as much as a footnote. Would you? You discover your true friends very quickly when all you have left to offer is your love. I was given a gift. I know this now. If you are going through something challenging in your life at this moment, perhaps you are being given a gift as well. What are you going to do with it?

Keeping that in mind, I ran into this fraternity’s creed while reading an article online awhile back ago…. I feel it sums up perfectly the person I aspire to be. Because life is not all about money. I kinda adopted it as my personal creed. Anyway, I come back to it every once in awhile when I feel like I may be off track in life… and forgetting what really matters to me. I also read it as a reminder when things are going well… to keep myself grounded… I read it often. It’s quoted from the UCLA chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilion fraternity. I feel it can apply to everyone..

” The true gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety and whose self control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others, rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.”

That’s what I aspire to, not money. Unfortunately though, money plays a big role in our well being. In my lifetime, I’ve had an abundance of money and I’ve also been to the point where I honestly did not know how I was going to eat that day. It’s the duality of life I suppose. Yes, there were times when I didn’t eat and I didn’t know when I’d be able to again. My future was uncertain and bleak at best

I still believed in my dream though. I will never forget those that stood beside me. These people are a rare treasure, I will never take their good deeds for granted.

But again, life is not all about money, is it? However, there is no denying that it does play a huge role in our lives and overall happiness. It’s an inescapable role. I think we all can agree that it’s usually best if we have an abundance instead of a lack..

However you are earning income, now more than ever I think it’s important to have a side hustle or investments that bring in cash when you can’t bring it in your self. But where do you start? Who do you listen to? How much would it cost? I discuss this and more on a blog post I did on Empire Flippers….

http://j.johnhigginbotham.com/would-you-spend-100k-for-4500-6500-per-month-indefinitely/.

The link focuses on buying an internet business. However, I also discuss other ways to make it happen. You too can join the many thousands of people who are reaping the rewards of living and investing in the information age. It just takes one step to begin your journey to self reliance and the freedoms that calling your own shots will ultimately bring.

If you are just joining me in my journey out of the hole…. you can read my detailed story @ http://www.johnhigginbotham.com or follow me on social media @ http://www.facebook.com/jhigg245

My wish is that perhaps something I share will impact your life in a positive way and encourage you to live the best version of yourself possible. We only get one go around in this life…. no do overs… no rewinding and no fast forwarding to the good partts. But I think these are good things, I really do.