Missed the other posts in this series? Take a look at them here.
Last week we talked about how making your money work for you is a process. Today I want to talk to you about not only becoming successful, but being content with that success by keeping your priorities straight.
You want to be successful, get rich, and make money work for you? Then get your priorities straight. If any of your priorities are out of balance in your life you will suffer and therefor you will fail. Keep your priorities in balance and you will set yourself up for success and total fulfillment.
You may be able to get financially wealthy if you begin to get obsessed with work, but what’s the point if you have no one to spend it on besides yourself? You cannot have a relationship with money, so don’t get obsessed with it. If you get sick is money going to be there holding your hand and telling you everything will be ok? Of course not! Don’t become a workaholic! It’s a waste of your time and emotional well-being!
Keep your priorities straight and not only will you be successful financially, but you’ll also be able to enjoy it.
Priority #1: Develop A Relationship With God.
Notice how I didn’t say keep God first. What is the point in putting God first if you have no idea who He is??? Don’t make the mistake of following God’s laws and commandments out of obligation!!! Even He calls them “empty sacrifices” and it makes Him angry. I’ve done this and hated every second of it.
When I learned more about the character of God, how badly He loved and desired to have a close friendship with Him, and learned how to Love Him I went from doing things for God out of obligation to doing them because I love Him. Learn how to love him, develop a relationship with Him, and you will naturally desire to put Him first. You will also find yourself overcoming all the negativity surrounding this fallen world: anger, fear, impatience, unforgiveness, etc. Overcoming all of these things will make becoming successful so much easier.
The website of T’shuvat Yisrael is a great resource of learning who God really is. You must find out what the truth is from God’s perspective, not from man’s perspective. You will know that you have the absolute truth when you find it. But never stop looking for it!
If you do this then you will live the most fulfilled life you can have on this earth. You will also make better choices because if God’s for you who can be against you? If you do not know God then your first steps to financial success is developing a relationship with your Creator.
Priority #2: Take Care Of Yourself!
I have no idea where this philosophy of putting everyone else above your own well-being came from, but it is the greatest disservice you can ever give yourself and those around you. If you don’t work on you before helping others (including your family) then you will not have the spiritual or physical fortitude to continue to help others. You will burn out very quickly!
Does an injured doctor take care of a terminally ill patient? NO! Does a soldier who just lost his legs try to carry another soldier who just lost his lower half? NOOOO!!!
Take care of yourself and you will have the ability to take care of everyone else.
Even I used to buy into this pathetic philosophy. As a result my health deteriorated, my spiritual health became almost non-existent, and my relationships failed. Eventually I became so sick, so overwhelmed, and so angry that I not only suffered for it but the ones I loved and everyone else surrounding me suffered as well.
Thankfully I came to my senses and said, “Enough is enough! I’m working on myself until I am healthy enough to work on taking care of anyone else!” This was the best choice I ever made! Make the same choice and you will NOT regret it!
Priority #3: Nurture Your Relationship With Your Spouse.
You are one with your spouse. To neglect your spouse is to neglect yourself, therefore this one is much like Priority #2. To be disrespectful or unloving to your spouse is to inflict pain on yourself. You want to suffer then by all means, neglect and abuse your spouse. But if you want to be successful and fulfilled in your life then treat your spouse like he or she is gold.
The old adage “2 heads are better than one” totally fits a marriage. Your spouse has a different set of skill sets and a different perspective than you that can and will contribute to your success.
For example, I’m very creative but lacking in the mechanical and scientific area. Hubby, however, is the exact opposite. Soon after we were married while I was in college for Interior Design I took a class that not only required me to be creative, but I was also to make my creations functional.
My first project I was to create a water fountain made of special materials. I had no problem coming up with a design for it, but I had NO idea how to make it into an actual fountain that pumped water through it. That’s where hubby came in to help me.
After I created my fountain, hubby figured out how to create a motor that would pump the water through it so it made it work (I so wish I still had a pic of this fountain to share with you, but I have no idea where it went since it has been 7 years since I took the class *sniff*). Thanks to the two of us putting our heads together and working as a team, I aced the class!!!
Nurture your relationship so you and your spouse can work as a team. If you’re fighting all the time then you’ll be missing out on a ton of resources you could have at your fingertips that will help you work towards success.
Don’t know how to do this? Then learn how. My favorite marital books are
Priority #4: Now Comes Your Children.
Too many women put their children above all else; BAD IDEA! Children are like sponges and if you put them first but you neglect your spouse or your relationship with God then you will be doing your kids a huge disservice. Your kids watch every move you make, therefore if you are taking care of yourself, if you are nurturing your marriage, if you are spending time with God then your children will naturally do the same as they grow.
If you want your kids to have horrible marriages, to be unhealthy, and to be rebellious and estranged from God then by all means do those things right in front of them. However, if you want them to be well rounded, loving, caring, healthy (both spiritually and physically), respectful, and patient individuals then you must be the same.
This is why working on yourself is SO important!!! Don’t know how to be respectful and patient? Then learn how to be. Ask your friends who have those skills you don’t posses, read books, listen to experts, pray. Become the person you want your kids to be. It’s as simple as that.
Everyone and Everything Else Is Last.
You got it? When you keep your priorities straight everything else will be much easier to take care of. Now, the issue of finances can be tricky because if your finances are suffering then chances are that your marriage is also. What I suggest you do is get your finances and spending under control before you dive into fixing your marriage or any other relationships that may be suffering as a result of poor stewarding.
95% of marriages fail due to bad financial stewardship, so this would be one of those rare exceptions you can work on before dealing with your priorities. Fix your finances before you try to fix relationships so you can prove to those whom you love that you have changed and are serious. It will make the road to recovery much simpler on you.
On everything else, however, you must keep at the bottom of your priority list.
I hope this has helped you. Anything else you want to add? Let me know bellow!
Stay tuned next time when we talk about Paying God First.
Disclosure: this post contains my affiliate links.
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