My Story
Noone taught me about money. Not my parents. Not the public school system.
As far back as I can remember I wanted to be 'rich.'
At 30 years old I woke up $80,000 in debt. This was when I found Dave Ramsey. It didn't take long before enrolling into Financial Peace University and going to war against my debt (car, college and credit cards). After two years of 'rice and beans, beans and rice,' and a whole lot of discipline, I clawed my way back to zero.
Net Worth: $0.
I continued to live on rice and beans, I cashed in on some equity by selling my home, and I moved to Utah to chase the next chapter of my life.
Net Worth: $100,000
For the first time in my life, I had money. So I did exactly what you'd expect someone to do with money who knows nothing about money - I spent all of it in the blink of an eye. After two years in Utah I found myself jobless, broke, and dreamless, once again.
I needed massive corrective action.
I decided to downgrade my car, scrape together $10,000 and put it all on a downpayment on a home in Virginia.
Net Worth: $0 (Again)
The plan was simple: Go home, buy a house, start a family, fix my finances and get rich. Little did I know... Virigina had different plans for me.
I stumbled into new relationships, relationships I didn't know could exist. I met people who weren't chasing what I was chasing - money. These people were at peace and they felt fulfilled.
It was slow to come to me, but the thing I thought I wanted, money... paled in comparison to what I actually needed: fulfillment.
Then God happened.
I learned that life isn't about money and things, but it's about loving, caring and serving God and others. It didn't take long to see that pouring myself into others lead to fulfillment.
After a year of living in Virginia I moved back to Utah, but as a different person.
A person with different priorities. The priority of 'getting rich' was replaced with love, care and service to God and others.