How To Unlock The Work Optional Lifestyle: 3 Elements You Need
By Doug Bennett with special guest Rafi Shaik
Have you ever been stuck in a job or career that made you feel like you were surrounded by prison bars?
There’s a perception that achieving financial security requires you to do whatever it takes to get there – even if it means sacrificing your personal wellbeing and happiness.
I’m always open to new perspectives on financial goal-setting, so when fellow financial adviser Rafi Shaik reached out to me, I knew he would make a fantastic guest on the Goals Do Come True podcast.
In this blog, we’ll explore the three things you need to unlock the work-optional lifestyle so you can enjoy your time on this earth (which may be less than you think) to the fullest.
Getting in touch with your mortality
As with many high-flying entrepreneurs, Rafi had a great career. He was a financial planner running a successful seven-figure business. However, there was a gaping void he still couldn’t fill, no matter how hard he tried.
He was unfulfilled, and no amount of money could change that.
His moment of clarity came when he lost his father and became a dad – all in the same year.
Rafi: “In 2020, a lot of things changed for me. I lost my dad to Covid-19, and I couldn’t even attend his funeral, which was a big blow for me. I also became a dad for the very first time. After these two significant changes, it felt like a cylinder went off. That’s when I started questioning everything. Were the money, the houses and the cars all worth it? It was like a wake-up call. That’s when I started taking time off and spending it with the people I love. I also realised that a lot of advisers needed the same, so I started a peaceful adviser lifestyle business, coaching other financial advisers on how they can achieve that seven-figure income and take at least 100 days off every year to do the things that they love. ”
Entrepreneurs and career-oriented people are guilty of constantly chasing the pound and doing everything necessary to achieve the figures we want. Ultimately, this leads to stress, a lack of fulfilment and, in many cases, missing out on the moments that (should) matter to us.
One way to massively reduce work-related stress is to know when you can stop working and maintain your lifestyle of choice – when work becomes optional. Even if you aren’t there yet, it’s never too early, or too late, to make the necessary changes in your life.
The 3 elements you need to unlock the work-optional lifestyle
We all want to achieve a fulfilling lifestyle where work is truly optional and we’re not chained to our businesses.
According to Rafi, there are three elements you need to gather in order to unlock a fulfilling personal and professional life:
1) Income
Finances are an integral part of our lives. According to a 2020 survey, nearly two in three adults (64 per cent) say that money is a significant source of stress in their life.
Furthermore, research by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute says that almost half (46 per cent) of people with unmanageable debts have a mental health problem. Meanwhile, 86 per cent of people with mental health problems say their financial situation makes their problems worse.
This proves that while money might not be the be-all and end-all, it is paramount to achieving complete rest and fulfilment. This is why the work Rafi and other financial advisers like myself do is so important. As Rafi puts it, you cannot be the light of the world if you can’t afford to pay your light bill.
Rafi: “Money is paramount. When you have money, you can achieve so many things with it. That’s why I’ve built a program where we show financial advisers everything that they would need in order to build and grow a seven-figure lifestyle business, and take at least 100 days off. Essentially, we’re building a community of like-minded advisers who want to make a crap load of money and have made it their mission.”
2. Freedom and lifestyle
Freedom and lifestyle are the second critical elements in achieving a work-optional life filled with fulfilment. This means having the liberty to choose how you spend your time and with whom you spend it.
It means having the freedom to live life on your own terms, whether that involves travelling, pursuing hobbies, or simply enjoying the peace of your own home without the shadow of work obligations looming over you.
In most cases, the transformation from a high-stress, money-driven lifestyle to one of choice and abundance can be a complete game-changer.
3) Impact
Rafi: “Even if you have the first two elements, if the third one is missing, you’ll still feel a huge void inside of you. And that’s because you’re not creating the level of impact that you should be creating in society. In my opinion, the most rewarding career is that of a financial adviser because you can help people take care of their finances and truly make an impact in people’s lives.”
Impact is the final, crucial piece of the puzzle for living a fulfilling and satisfying life where work is optional. Part of the reason why I’m still running my business (and my podcast) is because I love the impact I currently make in people’s lives and businesses.
I wouldn’t change that for anything.
Which of these three elements have you unlocked so far? Are your finances in order? Are you still tethered to an unfulfilling career? Maybe you’re looking to create impact somewhere within your community?
If you’d like help with any of these, click here to book a complimentary discovery session with me or grab a copy of my guide to Work Optional Lifestyle Financial Planning®.