Up to the time I entered the work force, I was told go to college, get a good education and find a good job. Sound familiar? The only thing wrong about that particular mindset is that it really sucks. My real education didn’t start until after college and it was a hard lesson to learn because up to that point, I hadn’t prepared for it. I had been conditioned to think and believe a certain way from K-1 to college graduation.

And like so many other things the masses do, just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean it’s the thing to do. I admit, I was not one of the intelligent ones and didn’t have a clue that getting a job was one of the worst things to do to support myself. There are far better ways to make a living than trading time for money.

In the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, there are six principles of the rich. I want to bring light to one. The first principle is that rich people don’t work for money, they work for knowledge. Maybe that’s why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Many people think getting a job is safe, it provides security, and stability. Try telling that to the millions of Americans who have been downsized, laid off, and had their jobs sent overseas. They thought trading time for money was a good idea too, but it’s not. It’s the worst thing you can do to generate income.

Why getting a job is stupid? Because you only get paid when you work. What about when you are sleeping, eating, playing with the kids, spending time with the spouse or significant other, or on vacation? Are you making money during those activities? Imagine if we were conditioned to think of ways to generate money during our early years, up to graduating college. Many people have been so thoroughly brainwashed into thinking it’s smart to only earn income when you’re working. What authority decided that we should only make money while working? Probably someone who bought into the mass way of thinking.

Wouldn’t your life be so much better if you were getting paid 24/7? Wouldn’t it be great to get paid whether you work or not? In the natural world, grass and trees continue to grow and evolve without your attention, so why not your bank account?

Working 50 to 60 hours a week is brutal and can be very unrewarding because only a few people really notice. Most people don’t even care because they are so wrapped up with their own lives. But if you have something of value to share, that is of value to others, they would be more than happy to open their wallets and reward you for it. People don’t care about your time, they care about the value they receive.

Many people often start on the socially and corporate conditioned path of earning income. So try not to beat yourself up too much, I was in the same boat. As you continue to educate yourself, you will realize that trading your time for money is not smart and there is a better way. “The key is to realize that you earn income by providing value - not time - so find a way to provide your best value to others, and charge a fair price for it.” Steve Pavlina

As stated earlier, the first principle in the Rich Dad, Poor Dad book, is the rich work for knowledge not for money. So one way to create passive income (income that is earned when you are not working) is to build systems or networks that generate income 24/7. This can done by starting a website or becoming an affiliate marketer (selling products that were created by someone else), creating products that provide royalty income, building a business, or becoming a real estate investor. Once the system is in place, it delivers continuous value to people and their lives and generates income from it. At that point, the system will continue to produce income whether you are there or not. Now you can focus on increasing your income by adding more value, redefining the system or creating new ones.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at creating a website. With each article/post you write, people can pull value from it and use it til the end of time. And for those who think it will cost an arm and a leg to get a business off the ground, creating a website can be done for free. There are several free templates available that practically do everything for you. All you have to do is add your content.

Keith is a Personal Development & Online Marketing Coach. He empowers and inspires people to discover their passions, fulfill their dreams, and achieve their life’s purpose. To learn more, please visit: http://LifePassionnetwork.com.

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