I recently signed up to volunteer with an organization called Operation HOPE, which teaches kids and young adults across the country financial literacy. It's a great organization, and I can't wait to volunteer!
When the volunteers and I introduced ourselves on our conference call, we were asked to tell what made us interested in volunteering to teach financial literacy. Answers ranged from wanting to meet more people with similar interests to paying forward what was learned from mistakes. While I found myself in both camps, the second resonated with me so strongly, it made me physically tremble.
When I think about why I've so passionately pursued a job in financial services, I remember why I started this blog: I've made financial mistakes in my past, many of which I learned from my family's behavior, and now that I've learned from them, I want to be a positive role model to my friends, family, and the next generation.
I realized that the first step to financial independence isn't getting out of student loan debt. That's definitely one of the first steps, and HUGE, so I'm not counting it out, but there is something bigger that comes before it: dignity. I found it wonderful that Operation HOPE begins by teaching students about dignity, or "the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed."
If we have never experienced it -- or really seen it -- do we really feel worthy of financial independence?
That feeling of worth is what drives my desire to succeed, which fuels my desire to learn constantly more about investing, which will help me achieve financial independence.
Over the years, as I've learned more about investing, I've seen more of the ways it enhances wealth in all aspects of society, not just for people. Take your favorite museum, for example. Let's say the Museum of Modern Art. It has an endowment, or a massive investment account that helps them fund the operation.
The endowment is run by professional investors whose primary goal is sustaining the museum's wealth, so it can grow its collection and reach more people. Think about the kids who go to MoMA, whose minds are opened to the world's infinite possibilities, maybe even what they can be when they grow up. A trip to MoMA might a temporary moment of escape for a kid from a not-so-great life situation. To think, the endowment managers get to invest and change lives by supporting the arts for a living -- I can't think of a better career!
To me, investing provides not only a door to financial independence, but to a satisfying career. I want to continue creating and maintaining sustainable wealth for institutional and high net worth investors who are changing thousands of lives. Through this blog, I hope to make my own little mark in the lives of my friends and family. :)
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In my next post, I'll resume the education: With the bazillions of investing books out there, which ones are actually worth reading?
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