The Surprising Difference Between Being Rich & Being Free (And Why They Are NOT The Same Thing)
I recently did a call where everyone participating had a traditional 9-to-5-like job.
I’ve never had that before in a teaching situation. I’m normally involved with a lot of entrepreneurs. But on this call I hardly knew how to talk to them.
After a little resistance to what I was saying, they finally started to open up about their collective biggest concern — they were all worried about their financial future and God, they should be! They wanted to know the fastest way to financial freedom.
I said to them, “Listen, the biggest mistake most people make is equating rich with free.
Everybody I’ve ever talked to wants to be financially free. I’ve never talked to anybody that doesn’t want that.
But what you must understand is that you don’t need to be rich in order to be free.
If you set your sights on becoming rich, it is not necessarily true that you’ll become financially free. They’re not the same thing.
You Don’t Need To Be Rich To Be Free
Here’s what 99% of people don’t understand:
If you want to go for what you want, go for it as directly as possible. Don’t beat around the bush.
A lot of people say, “Well, I’m going to do what I need to do to be rich and then the end result of that is I’m going to be financially free.”
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of rich people who aren’t free. They have to work their asses off to keep their wealth because they didn’t set it up properly — that is, they didn’t systemize their businesses to run without them needing to be there. They didn’t learn or model from others who have succeeded before them.
The road to financial freedom is different than the road to riches. They’re fundamentally different strategies.
First Free, Then Rich
So here’s how I would recommend going about this: First free, then rich.
It takes a lot less money and therefore less time to be financially free than it does to be rich.
If someone says, “I’m a millionaire,” I go, “Great, where do you live? Because where I live we barely can buy a house for $1 million.”
You see, to be rich you probably need to be in the multi-millions.
Rich is rich, but you can be free by earning, depending on your lifestyle, $65,000 a year. You can live a decent life, depending on what you’re doing and your wants and needs, especially if you have your mortgage paid and debt already handled.
It’s a whole different world to try and get to $20 million versus $65,000.
It is the biggest problem for most people who are confusing the two. They’re doing what it takes to get rich, which could take forever, in order to be free.
Free can take a very, very short time… if you know what you’re doing.
Just make sure you know the difference between being rich and being free.
Want to discover exactly how T. Harv Eker and others trained by him became financially free, and how you can become free too?
Then watch the encore of T. Harv Eker’s free signature web class, The Fastrack To Freedom: 8 Critical Elements To Becoming Financially Free Quickly
Click here to reserve your seat now and pick a time that works best for you!
Do you want to be rich, or do you want to be free? What about both? What’s your take? We want to hear from you!
For Your Freedom,
Hi Harv,
I was injured in an industrial accident nine years ago and forced into disability and barred from working. It has taken me all this time to finally pay off all my bills and move into a small house here in TN, and all at less than $19,000 a year. I am almost 65 now and consider myself financially free, although I am not rich. There are many things I can’t do because I don’t have any money, but at least I don’t have any debt other than the mortgage. Always looking for a better day. Thanks for your insights,
Paul Heider
A stone wall and bars does not make a prison. Look within first to be free. You are blessed to be financially free. Continue to give thanks and show gratitude for all that you have. Riches surround us and are waiting for you now. All you have to do is it to ask and set yourself free .
я хочу быть богатой и свободной!
This post is the most intelligent and realistic post I have ever read! Best shoot ever Harv! Thank you!
I agree. It is not the same. Maybe some of us want money just to pay the house and for our family. I dont want to have a debt for ages either. Money helps but not necessarily gives you happiness, especially if we are working all the time.
I am free I am working on becoming wealthy and rich
Hello
I would like be free
Yes freedom is more important than riches. Maybe that is why it is written in the Bible “The eye of a needle” is scripture quoting Jesus recorded in the synoptic gospels: I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
I know that this quote is almost always interpreted in a material sense that rich people cannot-or only with difficulties- enter the kingdom of God..But I think that the real sense is an esoteric one and refers to the state of mind that we need to connect with Spirit NOW: We must get into a meditative state of mind to connect with the spiritual realm,must distract our attention for a while from the material world to enter a higher state of awareness..The great mystic Meister Eckhardt called this to “make ourselves poor”,the Romans had the saying “Beati pauperes animi nam eorum caelum” (Blissed are the poor in mind because theirs’ is heaven)..For the rest: Nowhere in the Bible is written that money is the root of all evil..It is written that THE LOVE for money is wrong..We should never ever become slaves of material things and worship them.. But more money we have more we can help others who are not able to care for themselves..This is a choice that increases our freedom even more..
In those days, the days of Jesus, the passage way into the city was called the eye of a needle. If you were a dignitary or merchant coming into the city you had lots of gifts for your host or merchandise to sell. You also brought along with you your personal belongings and an enterauge. You would have been heavily ladened. These items and personnel, of course, would be loaded on your camel or camels….the trucks of the time. Most of these people entering the city were considered very rich. They had much with them. In order for your camel(s) and goods to come into the city, you would have to unload your goods for market, or gifts for the ruling monarch, at the time, outside of the gate. For the opening was just big enough for the camel(s) to pass through. Not with its large and cumbersome bundle. Once unloaded, your camel could then pass through the eye of the needle into the city freely with ease. The passage way was designed purposely too small for them to enter with their full load. It served an excellent purpose. If your were an enemy of the ruler of that city, and your were sneaking in with contraband of any kind, the idea is you could not bring anything of harm into the city. All that stuff would have to be checked first outside of the gate. It was like a boarder checkpoint. The idea in Jesus’ reference, could be likened to that of one entering into the Kingdom of heaven, one must become unfettered, as the camel. Remove all of your bagage. One must be poor in Spirit…unencumbered. The one who isn’t poor in spirit is filled with himself…the contemplations of the ego…heavily burdened. There is no room for him to be filled with something new for it may be difficult for him to let go of what is held so dear. That state of consciousness cannot enter into a clean clear consciousness, as represented by the Kingdom of Heaven. One must release one’s emotional attachment to ones own possessions, ideals, false belief systems and the like. All of those things blocks us from our higher states of consciousness. A rich man in this instance, maybe, would find it a bit difficult to release his emotional attachment to his wealth. Not so much his wealth, but his emotional attachment to the value he has placed upon it… his gifts talents money and time and the like, he has invested and much of himself, to achieve…Acquiring… and amassing such wealth may find it difficult to part with it. This is not just pointing only to the acquiring of money, by the way. It may in many ways have made him who he is, so his identity may be tied up in his outer expressions of wealth. Hence, “I tell you the truth, it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.” The unburdening is done for the camel. Who will do it for the man who is fettered, rich to the brim with himself and his achievements? One must be willing to free oneself. The question then is, what are you rich with or in. In essence, T. Harv Eker, is saying the same thing in this presentation. Free yourself and then add unto yourself. Like the 80s song lyrics says, “free your mind and the rest will follow.” In the state of freedom, one would be less likely to be so attached to, as in burdened by one’s acquired wealth, to the point that you would have to babysit it all the time, such that, your mind isn’t free to pursue other things. Or, conversely one is so engrossed in debt and survival that all one can see is more of the same. That also is rich…Rich in the attachment to debt. Where then is the freedom in all of that? All is a matter of focus and perspective. Jesus, also said, “seek ye first the Kingdom of God in all its righteousness and all that would be added unto you.” So again you can also liken that to what T. Harv is saying. Inside of freedom lies much. Maybe freedom is a righteousness aspect of the Kingdom of God. God never said not to be rich. Maybe, however, be willing to consider that it is all temporary. For we are in a place where time and things pass away. We pass away. It doesn’t mean, however, that you cannot enjoy your life fully in this temporary place with acquisitions…be a good steward of your wealth. It is the value that is placed upon it upwards of its intrinsic value that may and most likely present a challenge. In my world, at this time, I am allow for freedom to reign and let the rest follow. Thanks Anne Malone and Maria Mellena for your responses. I received much. It allowed me to share in response, where I may not have done otherwise. Thanks T. Harv Eker, for this. It has freed me up to pursue my own freedom such that I may add freely to myself and to others…from the space of a freedom state of mind…of being. That feels good to say. I hear you say, one must know what it is to be free, such that one can know freedom and dwell it, no matter where on is in the moment. I hard in what you said, once one is free no matter what state of being you are in, Freedom then will always be the choice. Freedom gives wealth life. Freedom is an internal and eternal state of being. Again thank you… I Have attended one of your millionaire mind intestives and I received so much!!! My mind opened up to the possibility of having a millionaire mind. It was a freeing experience to Say he least! ? Blessings!
Hi there,
I prefer both.
Great advice, rich and financially free are not the same …..something like the difference between wants and needs….need a simple car not a Rolls Royce!
Awesome
Wow, this is an epiphany. Thank you, Eker!
I like your article because it allows us to be creative, to let the universe and life unfold in a more joyful and adventurous way, to go for our dreams, and not be affraid to take risks. I enjoy my freedom, to choose a new carrier at my age, and having time to do what matters to me… and yes, I am not rich per se, and yet I am abundant… !!
Great explanation. I Love being free to spend time with my Family, doing the things I want to, but I’m not financially rich, but I’m rich with Life and Family. I’m having a hard time going back to 9-5. I really don’t want to.
I find it very interesting this post. For some time I decided to start the process of building my financial freedom and believed it should first be rich to have it. I have my life goals well defined and with this post I understand that the vast majority of them can achieve it with only my financial freedom.
With regard to the question: Do you want to be rich, or do you want to be free?
I choose both.
Thanks Harv, you are changing for better the lives of many people!
How very true. My only problem with this idea is that long ago I did settle for being free, cutting on expenses, and although I could say I have reached it, I have missed on the opportunity and thrill of creating something more interesting. Now I want to become rich, not for the money and not in order to become free, but for the sake of it, for the idea that it is possible to do so and to teach others to do it too.
Thanks Harv.
I want to be bouth, free and also rich .
When I graduated from college, I had a very unrealistic view of the world. having been home schooled, I assumed positive net worth and a debt-free lifestyle were simply par for the course of becoming an adult. All throughout my 20s I lived a fantastically free life, going where I wanted and buying what I wanted, never batting an eyelash at disasters from the $1,000 air conditioner repair to the $10,000 fee I was charged for a professional service. Nothing fazed my bank account. I simply believed that that was how life was, so in my own way I was rich AND free, despite earning less than $65K. It’s not how much you bring in so much as how you think and live. Thank you for this post!
YES! Such great insight here 🙂
My favorite part:
“The road to financial freedom is different than the road to riches. They’re different strategies. …So here’s how I would recommend going about this: First free, then rich. It takes a lot less money and therefore less time to be financially free than it does to be rich.”
This is really a great post & sharing with my community.
Well, here is my take on this, not that it even matters. If you are happy with an income of $65,000.00 annually and you’re debt free and are willing to retire from a corporation or other and willing to live on say; $3,300.00 per month and enjoy a limited life style, good for you. Some times I envy you….Not really. However, when building a business, you will not be free for some time. In most cases, you will find out you have become wealthy (rich) before you have realized your freedom so to speak.
Let me explain: As you are starting and then building your business, you will be accumulating debt. As the business begins to take care of its self you will be paying off that debt. This could take a few years. In the meantime, you should be building up assets as your income begins flourish. Now, this could take as short as five years or maybe as many as ten years. This will depend on how well you manage the business and you own personal finances. So the day comes when (and you’ve been looking at your financials all along) you say to yourself “holy Sh*#” I’m rich!! I’ve made it! But remember getting there, this is my opinion, takes some sacrifice before you will actually see the freedom. At least in my case and the few millionaires that I know. Not trying to bring anyone down, in fact trying to bring them up and encourage them to keep going for it, it will come.
I will like free
Thank you dear Harv,
I would prefer to become both 🙂
look foward your webinar**
I only make 30,000 a year, most people I know make less. I’m good with my money, and people look up to me as though I were rich, however, either way you look at it, I’m far from free. I work 60 plus hours a week, and barely have time for my 5 yr old, girlfriend, and self.
I’m miserable.
Something doesn’t feel justified in this lesson. Your saying: Go as directly to your goal as you can, but this seems like an unbalanced way of doing things. This would attract a burnout and will “punch” you in the face. Moderation is key to succes. Might not be an extreme income, but isn’t that going to far anyway? Learning to be in the moment and doing what feels right at that time will get you more pleasure than focus on a singular thing for a long time, hoping for succes. Be the real you and what you desire isn’t far away. No person wants to be locked into one passion, society has locked us into believing that you have to choose. Open your eyes and bring it back to 1, Y –>@<– U!
I think that both the freedom and money should come together; without money will there be a freedom?
Hey Harv,
Declaration “I always think ‘BOTH'”
My opinion and point of view is both, I definitely want to be financially free and have wealth! I know for myself to become Rich I need to put a plan in place! Which is building capital at the moment. With that capital mark which I’ll reach very soon, I’ll be able to invest. When I invest I’ll be able to be free and put back into the business to reinvest over and over again. I know then I’ll be able to become Rich as my business grows, my net worth will grow!
Fleck
Thank you so much, you are right.
At the moment, I am drowning in debt (six figures), with virtually no income to live on once I pay my minimum repayments. So financially free for me would be to debt-free first (that is sucking up almost all my income). Then if I had no debt, and lived a simple, modest life (as I do now), that would be financially free!
Not having to work and having the freedom to choose when/if/what would also be financially free.
Thank you again.
Hi Heather,
Check out Dr. John Demartini mastery and truth of money on You Tube
start paying yourself first even it is $1 a month
and gradually increase. Get in the habit of saving
Hi ! Yes I agree, freedom is my real purpose! When I think “millionnaire”, I can’t even imagine what it is. As the most of you, I want to have my debts paied (but finally, my two aparments are not debts but investments, I have no debts!). Freedom would be to have time to sing, write, paint, draw, travel, etc. I will consider to take more time to do this by now and have more fun; just follow my joy and passion and about the million (of euros because I am french), we’ll see… As John Lennon said “the purpose in life is to be happy”. But following this, he became rich!
Love and gratitude.
Thanks for this!
Hello everyone, My name is Eileen and It’s my very first post so I am very honored to be part of your group and M. Eker’s team. My english is a bit rusty cause I am french but I will apply myself the best I can… here goes! I hope it’s not too late to reply to this theme of RICH is not necesseraly FREE. Yes, you can be FREE of your time but if you do not have any money to do anything like the example of having to choose between your last 5$ to either put gaz in the old car or get a 5$ diner on the table… your freedom is more like having your hands tied in your back. I have time to be free because of health issues du to a car accident so I actually have a very low monthly income cause I cannot work hard physically but I at least have time to “suffer” at home hahaha… Yes, my body is broken and battling with chronic pain but my head is running and humming like crazy and my business ideas and projects… sometimes keep me awake at night… It’s even worse since I enrolled in Harv Eker’s way of seeing the world of money. So since I am yet looking for some quick short term income… eventually becoming passive income, .. I continue my efforts and in the meantime, all I can do is to write all of my business ideas and projects down and try to find a way to get funding as soon as possible cause my ideas are directly related to small local job creations so it’s a beautifull Win Win situation and it’s so beneficial to every worker who can get back to work in his own village or locality at a decent pay, good conditions and enjoy life with his family and friends… When you are low income, like me you, either try to get funding by credit which is impossible when you are already like very poor… So all this potential, let’s say my own potential for developpement of business ideas and projets in my locality has been waiting for months for a minimum of financing to be able to start the project and even permit me to work on that same projet and be paid to put in gear… I will then be able to live decently, put gaz even if in an old car, get decent clothes (like a nice pair of jeans…) and get that ink for my printer or have enough to pay the bills and put food on the table… After a bit or a lot of years of hardship of living on Poverty row like I am finishing… well at least I have regained a lot of hope since I have listened to a lot of M. Ekers speaches lately.. .. I would definetly tend to go for at least a minimum of money and if possible… why not A LOT OF MONEY !!! and FAST too because all your life is like blocked, like frozen in ice and you cannot put one foot in front of the other… even if they are little baby steps… You can do so much on NO cash or not much cash BUT… YOU CAN do way much more and quicker and easier with some cash flow…even if it’s not a lot in the beginning… at least it’s like oxygen in the darn hose finally…to all those phoney oygen masks you have been throwned over the years… So YES, work always on your freedom part, even in your dreams … But I can humbly say, that after all of my recent years of suffering after receiving a couple of Life’s nock-out Jabbs… I can say that the most important thing to remember if you can is to learn and grow from your past experiences as quickly as you can in order to be able to jump back on your feet again an quickly start to rebuild your new life… One that YOU WILL LOVE! So for that, you definetly need acces to a good money flow… Especially if you are a women cause we are not very good mecanics nor carpenters, electricians, or just chores around the house so you got to have money to pay for these services and all the rest…in order to live well in your secure home alone, or with the ones you love and who love you in return… So It will be so interresting to hear M. Eker on this subject. Till then my friends … here’s to our financial freedoms to come… Blessings to you all. Eileen Yacyno, Pointe des Monts (near Baie-Comeau) on the North shore of Québec, Canada. 😉
I totally empathize with you and I understand your frustration. I too have physical limitations with a government check. Feeling between needing more in life and it being out of my reach. Most of all having dreams and not knowing how to make them come true. I hope and pray that we find the bridge we need to fill the gap. I know we can make a huge difference once we get to the other side. Wishing you all the best. Anna
I thank you for explaining the difference between the two. Now I want both! Lol! I have very specific goals for wanting wealth and riches. Besides the usual material things, (driving the best, living in the best, eating the best quality foods, traveling, wearing the best, etc.) I want to leave wealth for my kids and my kid’s kids. I wanna be able to give to causes I believe in. But I want my wealth to come from passive income. I have created music library page where artists, tv and movie supervisors can pick music, created by myself, suitable for their projects. This allows me to generate income in a myriad of ways off that one song. So I guess I have my free and wealth all in one. Thanks again.
To Ms.Eileen Yacyno, we’re sorry to hear about your present condition, but hope that you’ll be ok soon. You’re right, good ideas keep coming into our heads when we’re in a resting situation like yours.
Good luck!
They definitely are NOT the same thing. I would like to be both free and rich but free first.
I really felt free when I resigned from my job. Although I am not rich but having a time to spend with my family and friends make me more happy and give me an opportunity to think seriously about how am going to live my life and create wealth.
I don’t know if it’s possible to reach Harv directly so I am posting this (a bit reluctantly) here.
Dear Harv,
Thank you so much for all that you do. You don’t know me, but I feel like I know you. At least a little bit. I have listened to your stories and cried because I feel so inspired by what you have created. You have taught me so much but most importantly, to never give up and to take full responsibility for myself in every way. Your book is amazing but it was your online program, ‘Million Dollar Business Secrets’ that shifted the direction of my life and really changed ME in a big way.
I am 26 and I live in Arizona with my husband and our two kids ages 2 and 8. My husband and I met in high school and married at ages 19 and 20. We have been running a unique business for the last 7 years of buying and selling furniture. Specifically, couches. We started from scratch and have become experts at what we do. As of now, we primarily deal in high-end leather furniture. But we have bought and sold thousands of couches over the years.
Before listening to the program, we were both pursuing other business ideas and looking for a better way to make money. Then we listened to ‘Million Dollar Business Secrets’ and it hit us like a ton of bricks. We hadn’t been nurturing our business…ever, not at all. We immediately dropped everything else were doing, permanently. For the first time, we started giving 100% of our focus to our furniture business. We used to hide what we did and kept it a secret. We went from being embarrassed and secretive about what we did to proud and excited to share it with people..practically over-night. We created a Facebook page for our business and we now have a following that is growing by hundreds each month.
We were at a low place when we happened upon your free webinar that led us to purchase ‘Million Dollar Business Secrets’. We spent the last of the money we had on the program because we knew it would be worth it. And we were not disappointed.
Our furniture business has allowed us to work with each other, have time with our kids, create our own schedule, do something we love, connect with thousands of people, help people save money, help people make money, recycle and help the planet.
We want to share what we do with the world. We believe there are millions of people who would be EXCITED to learn how to do what we do. Whether with furniture, appliances, vehicles, small items, etc. (we’ve done it all).
So we asked ourselves, and each other, where do we go from here? We asked many times with few ideas that sparked enthusiasm. Until I watched another free webinar by a guy named Sam Ovens (apparently free webinars are life changing). He built a consulting business. Starting from nothing and working out of his parent’s garage. Of course, he is now a millionaire.
I thought….is it be possible that what we have learned over the years could genuinely help a massive amount of people AND potentially make us a lot of money…maybe even millions? My heart said “Yes!”. My brain also said “Yes!………but how?”. After much praying, pondering, discussion with my partner…we decided that creating an online learning course could be the answer.
You might be wondering why I am telling you all of this and what it has to do with you. The truth is Harv, I am just taking a shot in the dark. I have felt compelled to email you for months. You are my mentor and my teacher. Even though you don’t even know me and we’ve never met, I trust you. I am reaching out because I hoped that you may be able to give me a piece of advice for a course of action to take. I am willing, I am determined, and I am driven. I am just a little lost. I thought maybe someone who has been there and done it, could see it more clearly. And who better than you?
I admire you so much Harv. You are truly an inspiration. If you took the time to read this, I am so appreciative. I know you are extremely busy. The photo I am attaching is my husband and I the night before our wedding with our first truck and one of our first couches. We worked a lot! I will also include the link to our Facebook page, The Couple Selling Couches. https://www.facebook.com/currentcouches/
Thank you so very much Harv.
Thank you for your insightful articles, Harv. I seem to end up sharing every single one! 😀
I really really really appreciate and admire you for the great works. It did not only inspire me but also coach me aright… thank you so much.
I shared on my facebook page and many are blessed by it
i listened to the webinar “from zero to millionaire”. i attended Joel Bauer’s seminar in Singapore. I downloaded and started to read the e-book “Speed Wealth”. I read the summary “Pitch Anything” book.
For a salary worker, it take years to save from the active income, bonus,
I listened to the webinar “from zero to millionaire”. I attended Joel Bauer’s seminar in Singapore. I downloaded and started to read the e-book “SpeedWealth”. I read the book summary “Pitch Anything”.
for a salary worker, it means years to save from the active income, bonuses.
Staying in Singapore is not cheap. A four room HDB flat (with 3 bedrooms) cost around S$440,000. And, it is not even located in the city
Harv, I think you are right on here. I’m 56 and have done my best to aquire wealth in a meaningful way over the last 15 years. I did this through building assets with the idea of developing multiple streams of income. I’m retiring (not from life but from my current job) in a couple months. Between my retirement annuity and rental income from some single family rentals we own we will have an annual net income over $100k. We own our home and have a net worth close to $2m. I don’t consider us to be “rich”, but I do consider us to be free. We will continue to build our wealth as our costs of living are significantly lower than our income. Our situation is completely reasonable and attainable for anyone.
The article just made me reflect a whole lot.
I think at 17 years I can claim I’m financially free to a point where I enjoy earning more money for myself, and coming up with creative ideas on how I could add more value to the lives of others.
Thank you Harv.
Thank you, Harv !
Financial freedom for me is a surprisingly low amount. Just a further US$188k. On my current trajectory of investment, that is the amount that will allow us to live the same life we do now based on investment income alone.
The key I only understood recently is to cut non-essential outgoings.
Reasonable income + frugal lifestyle = surplus for investment,
surplus for investment x time = financial freedom!
Illness and other unforeseen events can get in the way but my main focus is how to reduce the time element of the equation.