Financial literacy is more than just money, it is knowledge. Knowledge that, once understood in how it works, can work for you during your entire life, literally 24/7. To keep my approach to financial literacy simple I have split it into two different tracks of thought; Defense & Offense. To see exceptional results will require the use of a great defense (keeping what you earn) and a potent offense (earning as much as possible). But doing just either one of them and not both in tandem will lead to mediocre results. You can’t win unless you play and get familiar with the rules and knowledge everyday. Defense is about keeping the things that you earn and build. Watching your billion dollar empire crash and burn after a lifetime of years building it can be avoided with a superior defense.

• We all do different things for income, but we all have income. It is in different amounts based on what you do. Financial literacy is the same for everyone regardless of what you do with your time, what your income is and where you live.
• It begins with understanding the fact that it doesn’t matter what your income is; what matters is how much you keep.
• It’s a habit, like eating every day, and is just as important as eating every day. It doesn’t happen with one paycheck, but all of them for your entire life.
• Consider yourself your most important bill that must be paid before all other bills. And consider yourself a collector of money, value and wealth. Collectors keep and don’t get rid of whatever that is collected, such as bonsai trees and in our case money, value and wealth.
• The habit starts by collecting at a minimum 10% of all your income(s) for yourself before it is spent on other things. Don’t get rid of your collection of money, value and wealth. Ever.
• It is important to have a collection large enough with immediate access to cover all unforeseen emergencies and any unexpected drop in income. Usually 3-6 months of your income in disposable cash stored away in a savings account.
• The rest of your collection should be put to work so that it rises in value and not drop in value. This is inflation protection. Inflation is the drop in the value of money. If inflation is at 6%, that means, in a perfect world, it takes 6% more money to buy the the things that you need every year. Combating this would include having your income rise by at least the rate of inflation every year, and by acquiring or collecting assets that rise in value every year like real estate, stocks, and bonds as an example.
• Acquire assets and not liabilities with your money. Assets are things that put money in your pocket; liabilities will take money out of your pocket.
• Making or not making decisions in your life are both habits. Get in the habit of making decisions in your life. Starting with your income and the amount of incomes you have are a great place to start if you don’t know where else to start. Do it every day.
• And, it is all mental. It is all in your head, both the power and strength to do it, and the restraints and insecurities that lead to thoughts of doubt. Thoughts of doubt will make oneself quit long before competition, family, friends, and other people in society will make oneself quit. Money and financial literacy is a mental game, it will literally make you a billionaire or make you homeless. That is your decision.

Become The Wealthy You