02 March 2008

PME2 - Concept for Financial Freedom

It has been a good short break for me since I last blogged in Nov 2007. Work and learning had been intensive but I am still spending at least 1 hour per day to continuously improve my financial intelligence.

Time flies and it has already been 2 years 3 months since I made that choice to achieve financial freedom with the financial enlightenment I'd gained in Dec 2005. Over this period, I am glad that my learnings have improved by leaps and bounds. I have also started to struture my own thoughts and develop my own concept of how one can achieve financial freedom, which i will like to share in this article.

On the journey towards my financial freedom, I have attempted to share my learning experience to numerous learning partners. I have also attempted to spar my ideas with my learning partners to sharpen my thoughts. Most of the sharing or sparring have been in parts, as I am unable to express my ideas as a whole. It is also pretty lengthy to express the parts in details before a holistic whole can be derived. Thus I have decided to share my learning using a simple concept, introduced to me by one of my mentor. The main structure is known as Purpose, Methods and End-State, or in short PME. I have since evolves the PME structure into a concept known as PME2, to suit the context of this discussion.

The PME2 builds upon my limited 2 years of journey in trying to find my ways to achieve financial freedom. I believe many newbies, like me, in the search of their own path to achieve financial freedom, will also encounter what I had been through. What I am going to share here, is nothing more than logic. Yes, plain logic. The difference lies in action. I put the logic into action and evolves it into applied knowledge.

PME2 attempts to conceptualise, shape and synergise my efforts to achieve my desired outcome - Financial Freedom. When expressed pictorially, it is can be seen in the form of constructing a building. The larger framework is enclaved by the Purpose, Methods and End-State. The inner structure are supported by key pillars of Plans, Meta-Attributes and Education. I will attempt to discuss the PME2 concept broadly here.




PURPOSE

The ground forms the foundation on which the building is been constructed on. If this foundation is weak, the building will face a lot of difficulties during the construction phase or the completed building will collapse in no time. The ground is the purpose.

The purpose will also answer the question of "WHY", the key reason for all the subsequent efforts to achieve the desired end-state. When faced with difficulties along the journey, this Purpose will constantly reinforce the practitioner's belief that the journey is worth all the while.

Purpose seems simliar to one of the pillar, Meta-Attributes, as though they are a sub-set of each other, yet are different in nature which I will attempt to elaborate further later.


METHODS

If I have 6 hours to chop a tree, I will spend 4 hours sharpening the axe. This is where I will invest my 4 hours in.

Plan, Meta-Attributes and Education are the three supporting pillars building upon the purpose, supports the way to achieve the desired outcome. The three pillars are also mutually supporting each other.

A Plan keeps the practitioner focused on what requires to be done and synergise his efforts to achieve it. The Meta-attributes forms the backbone without which the outcome will be hollow and empty. Education is established by acquiring Skills, Knowledge and Experience along this journey.


END-STATE

The end-state, in this context, are financial goals / targets in definitive form of 5Ws. It has to be specific, measurable, quantifiable and in the form of Who, What, Where, When and Why.


In the next sharing, I will attempt to discuss more into the methods of Plan, Meta-Attributes and Education. Meanwhile, I invite and appreciate any reader of this entry to share and leave your comments after reading this entry.


Good night,

Leroy :-)

"When I Stop Learning, I Stop Living."

4 comments:

  1. Hi Bro!

    Thanks for linking back to me - I've noticed that you've done that on your sidebar! ;-)

    I'm not quite an investor yet, and I'm also putting in efforts in my spare time to do plenty of learning, reading and researching before ploughing real cash into equity markets.

    I trust that I can learn a great deal from you again soon!


    Good investing!
    Wai Loong
    (Singapore)

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  2. Long time no see. Glad you have been moving forward in your prep..........hope you are investing or preparing to invest at this best moment in time. I'm shopping around to put a little in 2 stocks. Already shortlisted Citibank when the price hits my target, but the other will be one of two other choices. btw I'm moving on to US properties in the coming few months. SMS me if you wanna join in.

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  3. Weilong,

    Now is a good time for value investors. I see that a good window to enter our local market maybe around Jun/Jul 08 period.

    We can exchange ideas together. I love to exchange ideas.

    KIT! :-)

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  4. Ukey,

    I dont really understand the US property market at this point in time. May have to give it a miss for now. Maybe you can share with me some of your experience should u enter their market this year? :-)

    But do watch out for the next potential crisis in US when tonnes of their baby boomers retired and tonnes of these baby boomers withdraw their 401K by force due to their laws.

    I am still waiting for my window of opportunity in the Singapore market, an area which i am more familiar with and more comfortable with to park my money currently.

    KIT! :-)

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