I lectured at the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) Program last Saturday and the class and I had a nice discussion on the advocacy that I am into. In fact, I believe the class was more interested discussing my advocacy as against the module that was being discussed on that day. For some years now, I have carried an advocacy on personal finance education and I am so blessed to see that this advocacy is now gaining ground in the country.

During the lecture, I was telling the class that the 8 day program they are taking is a great thing because they will be equipped with the rudiments of financial planning and they will experience a great deal of improvement in their competencies. However, I also told them that before we can even apply what we learn in investment planning, time value money, financial planning process, tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning and all those we learn in RFP, we must get people to really want to achieve financial freedom. Before we can apply all the financial principles, we must espouse something first, discipline.

In reality, a person who does not know how to invest but is very disciplined financially will be in a better position than one who is very knowledgeable in the arena of investments and business but lacking in fiscal discipline.

In the last few weeks, I organized 2 events: All About Money (with Chinkee Tan, Cito Beltran and myself) and Blue Chip (Financial Literacy Program for the Youth).

All About Money was designed to reach to the broad market, those that are finding hope in the achievement of their goals. Chinkee tackled the issue on debt, Cito discussed on the issue of possibility and hope while I discussed the basic applications. There were nearly 500 people in that event and from the assessment forms we got back, they were really glad to have attended such a program like All About Money.

… to be continued.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I often speak, write and teach about money.  I am a personal finance practitioner and all my endeavors lead to the advocacy of financial freedom.

Money is definitely important… to have a financially prosperous life is a goal for people to have. However, the goal does not end in financial prosperity but rather the purpose of such prosperity. Money is a tool and its use dictates its morality.  Having money should not be the end goal… in fact being happy because of the money shouldn’t also be the end goal.

Money is important. Being happy is important. However, I believe life is beyond that. Life has a purpose and finding that purpose is the key in our proverbial quest for true happiness.  Achieving financial freedom is merely a process that we need to go through and should not be the final destination. But achieving financial freedom is very crucial in the achievement of our goals in life, like I said earlier, they are tools.

When we set out our goals, do we know our purpose? When we plan our lives, do we see the end goal? These questions are simplistic and yet many people do not have the answers for such inquisitions– they go through life trying to find an answer to a question and yet they do not know what the question is.

What is the purpose behind our quest for financial freedom? Is it about convenience? Is it about security? Finding out our purpose is the key to the many questions we ask – financial or otherwise.

For me, I found my purpose.

“…who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

(2 Timothy 1:9-10, NIV)