You know these steps for becoming financially independent, but are you doing them? Read these ideas and make a managable plan for yourself. 

1) Learn to invest, trade, and to start a business.

2) Live below your means and invest the difference.

3) Invest or pay off debt using unexpected income.

4) Get debt free, yesterday. As Dave Ramsey says, you won't beat up the credit card companies.

5) Create an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of living expenses.

6) After you are retired, increase your emergency fund to 12 months.

7) Max your Roth IRA.

8) Contribute to your 401K up to your employer match (or more if you have also maxed your Roth IRA). (Don't have more than 10-20% of your 401(k) in compmany stock.)

9) Support efforts to allow citizens to opt out of social security.

12) At work, lobby for a better 401(k). You may want a 401(k) that will allow you to buy individual stocks or better funds.

13) Learn about stock options at CBOE.

14) Do a background check on your potential broker or financial planner.  You will want to fire a fee-only financial planner before your retire.

15) Roll your old 401(k)s into to a traditional IRA.  Open an IRA with a brokerage that does not limit investment options.  You want to be able to invest in small caps, foreign shares, inverse and specialized funds and any ETF's.

16) Invest at least half of all pay increases.  Use the other half to improve your life.

17) Never, ever, withdraw retirement funds before you retire.

18) Take an economics class if you have never taken one.

19) Take a stock market class if you have never taken one.

20) Take a security analysis class if you have never taken one.

21) Decide upon your financial goal and try not to change it. Make sure it is realistic but something you must stretch and sacrifice for.

22) Know exactly why you want financial independence and stay focused.  Your real reasons to escape the rat race drive you. What are they? A private island?

23) Don’t buy annuities unless you have already maxed your IRA& 401(k). Returns on annuities are low.  But there are benefits to owning annuities.

24) Don’t buy whole life insurance as an investment. You will only earn 2-3% and you will pay huge commissions.

25) Buy term life insurance to protect your family.

26) Work two jobs, if need be, or even better:

27) Start a business (that you control) on the side, or:

28) Start a small real estate holding company, or

29) Put in for overtime, or:

31) Get organized.

32) Keep a journal. Write down investment ideas, business ideas, trends you forsee, or any other thought that you want to remember.

33) Delay purchases. Make sure you really want or need what you are buying. Wait for a better price.

34) Keep out of debt as much as possible. Paying interest, late fees, annual fees, and hidden fees does not help create wealth.

37) Network. Join an investment club or a local Rich Dad group or a small business group or other organizations. Meet your Master Mind's networks.

38) Find good mentors and model their mindset and behaviors. A Master Mind group should make this easy.

39) Get your Realtor's licence if you are interested in real estate.

40) Read or listen to classic books about investing, real estate, sales, autobigraphies and business.  The most essential audiobooks/books I have found are in our boostore, below. 

41) Learn to sell, negotiate, persuade, and build rapport. These four skills will help you land excellent deals, jobs, sales, and more.  Listening helps to build rapport and sell.

42) Learn about the law, as it applies to your business, work, home, finances, debt, retirement, etc.

43) Update your resume. You will never know when a great new opportunity will come around or when the axe will fall at work.

44) Check your credit report at least every year.

45) Set realistic goals in each area of your life and commit to C.A.N.I - Constant And Never-ending Improvement.  In my Master Mind, we avoid complacency.

46) Every day, at least 6 days a week, take action on your goals.

47) Use visualization to help you achieve your short term goals.

48) Adopt a realistic, yet, positive mental attitude.

49) Practice self-hypnosis to help you with your short term goals.

50) Say to yourself, “cancel, cancel”, when you think a negative thought.

51) Learn the skill you know would help you the most.

52) Get better at the skills you have now; become an expert in your field.

53) If you are already an expert in your field, consider publishing instructional books or dvd's, or consider becoming a consultant, or a trainer or speaker.

54) Be honest and fair in all your dealings.

55) Don't do things that trap you even more in the rat race.  Don't listen to losers, broke people, or other malcontents that you have to be around.

56) Try to get 1% better at your job every day.

57) Don't dwell on old misfortunes. Think about how to get what you want. 

58) Always be searching for new ideas, trends, ventures, possible inventions, and opportunities.

59) Engage in a vigorous workout before you begin your day.

60) Find a supportive spouse.

61) Remember, in every difficulty lies the seed of an equal or greater opportunity. You have to be able to bounce back from defeat.

62) Treat your life like a business. Try to turn a profit every day. 

63) Don’t be reluctant to start small. Just get started!  Plan your work and work your plan, every day.