The Low Cost of Personal Freedom

Next week, we’ll celebrate Independence Day here in the United States. So we’re thinking about freedom – not in the sense of a country, but for us as individuals.

What does personal freedom mean?

The primary definition of freedom – according to Merriam-Webster – is “the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action.”

Great definition. But we immediately had one thought and one question about individual freedom.

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The thought

The word “absence” moves this definition beyond a reasonable expectation. We don’t disagree with the term used. It just isn’t realistic.

Let’s take the three subsequent words one at a time:

• Necessity
  

  No matter what, there are certain things you will have to do out of necessity. At a basic level, you have to sleep. No one can do it for you.
  

  At a higher level, you may be dedicated to a cause which compels you to act. But this feeling of necessity may actually be liberating.
  

• Coercion
  

  You are not an island. You need people in your life. So here’s where it gets messy. In a relationship, you can’t always get your way.
  

  However, people make your life richer. The right relationships push you to be your best self, to go for your dreams, and to gain more freedom.
  

• Constraint
  

  We all live with constraints. Even if you had an unlimited amount of money, you would still have only 24 hours in your day.
  

  Sure, you could (and probably should) use that money to get help. Then you could spend more time on the things you really enjoy.
  

  But there are other constraints as well. For example, we have laws which restrict your actions. Of course, good laws also protect you from harm.
  

The question

The thought is just a qualifier. The question is more important:

How do you get to this point of freedom? What does it look like?

BIGG success is life on your own terms. It’s YOUR vision of success. It’s your dream. It’s about creating the life that fits you perfectly.

But no matter what that is, one basic principle has to be retained. In order to be free, you need to spend your days as you please.

This requires one of two approaches:

• Active approach
  

  This approach has two components. Most of the things you read don’t focus enough on the second one.
  

  The first component is the work you do. It has to be work that you love so much that it doesn’t feel like work.
  

  The second component is the money you earn. You have to earn enough doing the work you love to pay all your bills.
  

• Passive approach
  

  This one is simpler. You earn enough money on your money to fully fund your desired lifestyle.
  

These two approaches have a common element. The less money you need to live the life you want, the simpler your life will be.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with more money. After all, it’s life on YOUR own terms.

Just be sure that’s what you’re really going for. If you want (or need) more money to support your dream life, you have to be ready to deal with the added complications. You may find that complexity means less freedom.

The cost

Before we go, there’s one more thing we should discuss – the cost of personal freedom.

You have the freedom to act right now. No one person or organization, including the government, can take that away from you.

Yes, you have the freedom to act. But you have to take responsibility for the outcomes of those actions.

Freedom is not free. You already have the freedom to choose.

You can choose to try or not try. You can choose to move ahead or remain stuck. You can choose to be driven by your purpose or by your fears.

It’s all up to you. Every single choice comes with consequences. You must accept them.

Freedom is not free. BIGG success comes with a price.

But the cost of not going for the life of your dreams is higher – frustration, despair, depression, stress, unhappiness, regret.

We could go on and on. But you get the point – the cost of freedom is low. So go for it. It’s the first step to be a BIGG success!

If you’re ready to go for it, maybe we can help.

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