CORE PRINCIPLES
01
HEALTH AND TIME ARE YOUR TWO GREATEST ASSETS
You can use your time to make money and you can use money to buy time. Still, even with all the wealth in this world, your time is capped to a certain point.
You cannot take back the stored energy you give away. Once time has passed, it’s over. So what good is time without good health to enjoy it? Take good care of yourself so you can take care of those around you.
There is a paradox in a society where people work all their lives to buy enough time to enjoy their ‘retirement age’ at 65 (and much older). The distinct and obvious problem with this plan is that work slowly (or rapidly in some cases) deteriorates your physical and mental health. By the time many people hit retirement age, they simply do not have the strength (the energy) to do what they love.
02
EVERYTHING COMPOUNDS - THAT INCLUDES MONEY AND KNOWLEDGE
We all know about the power of compound interest. You earn interest on your interest and eventually with time, you see exponential growth, But this is the same for your knowledge. Every experience you gain, every mistake you make, you learn and get better than before. The problem is with all the information readily available out there in the palm of your hands, there is also a ton of misleading information and outright lies. There is too much noise out there and it is hard to keep organized! You will have to learn how to filter the noise and at the same time keep an open mind. Stay informed, always do your research, rinse and repeat.
03
SPEND YOUR GAINS, NOT THE PRINCIPAL
Don't touch the money you originally invested, only the interest, and only if you have to.
Don't buy things you can't afford and frankly don't need. Don’t fall into the lifestyle creep!
The equation is very simple: once your monthly interest can pay for all of your monthly expenses, then you are essentially financially free.
04
FIND YOUR "IKIGAI"
What’s your purpose? Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means "a reason for being". It’s visualized as a group of concentric circles.
You can reach your Ikigai by defining the following four key elements:
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What you love
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What you are good at
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What the world needs
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What you can be paid for
Regarding point #4: Money does not automatically bring happiness. Money gives you freedom, time, and choices.
Once you find your Ikigai, you will never need to consider ‘retirement’ again. Adopting this new way of living means that everything is in harmony.
05
AUTOMATE
Set up a system where you don't have to spend time and effort monitoring your finances. Master it, automate it, then move onto the next thing. It’s all about the time saved, and this way you can direct your time toward other things that matter!
Examples: Automatic deposits to an investment account, utility bill autopay, banking apps for rapid payment, using a great property manager for real estate, etc.
06
FOCUS AND CONSISTENCY
Maintain a laser focus on your goals. Don’t get distracted. Just focus on that one thing. Wherever we put our attention, we put our energy. With persistence, attention, energy, and time, you will achieve. It’s all about taking action.
07
SEGMENT YOUR GOALS
Don’t overwhelm yourself. Write it down. Organize it by priority and only tackle tasks that will move you closer toward your goal. Accomplish, then move on to the next task at hand.
There’s a snowball effect whenever you accomplish something. It makes you feel good and you tend to ride that energy and end up accomplishing things one after the other!
08
WORK SMARTER
NOT HARDER
The ‘80/20 Principle (also called the Pareto Principle) states that around 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. Put another way, 20% of wasted effects come from 80% of efforts.
Sure, the ratio won’t always exactly be 20% & 80%. The point is that a small percentage of what you do will give you most of the results you desire. Hence once you do find out what works, to maximize your results, you really should focus all your attention and energy on the 20%.
09
BALANCE RESEARCH
AND ACTION
Avoid ‘analysis paralysis’ by not spending too much time analyzing things. You can’t be 100% prepared for everything. 80-90% is good enough to take the leap.
Eventually, you just have to take action. There is no failure; there is only learning. A mistake is only a mistake if you learn nothing from it.
10
LEVERAGE OTHER PEOPLE'S STRENGTHS
What are your strengths and your weaknesses? What is your time worth? Can you pay someone else to do what they’re more effective at? This way, you can focus on doing something else. Outsource your weaknesses.
Of course, this will depend largely on which stage you’re at on your financial freedom journey. In the beginning, you will do everything yourself. As your resources grow, your ability to leverage also grows. It’s your responsibility to recognize which tasks can be delegated through each step of your growth.
11
GIVE BACK
Keep perspective. There are always other people in far worse situations than you. The fact that you are reading this means that you have choices — not to mention an internet connection!
Never forget where you came from or where fate might lead you. Consider service to others.
12
THERE ARE THREE SIDES TO EVERY COIN
There are three sides to every coin; heads, tails, and the edge.
Keep an open mind and understand opposing sides. See all perspectives of the story. Avoid echo chambers, where you only seek information that supports your current views. Review One Blue Land’s principles through the same lens! Do they resonate, or do they not? Either way, we respect your truth. What truly matters is that you remain open to new concepts and never stop learning. Take what you need and leave the rest. Develop and evolve your own set of principles over time.