Friedrich Nietzsche once observed that in the scientific world, happiness coincides with knowing, while art stands at the periphery of that knowledge. This has provoked many art lovers to ponder the significance of art in a new light. Till the time you understand and interpret a piece of art, it is an unknown intrigue. Once you do, it is a liberating discovery.

Now let us look at art from the perspective of an artist. Art starts as an idea in someone’s mind. The creation of it is a liberating experience. Which could be the reason why art has continued to be a primary form of creativity in civilised societies. Perhaps the only form.

Imagine a person or a household in a financial mess. For them, financial freedom equals to a complex artwork, impossible to decipher. Yet, once you demystify the financial puzzle, you are liberated from all financial confusion. Interpreting, enjoying and creating art can liberate you, as can financial freedom. And that’s where the parallels are drawn. When you set out to manage your finances, make sure that you keep this aspect in mind. Successful financial management leads to financial freedom. That in turn, will liberate you from the daily stress of handling finances.

Financial freedom is a stage in life that you achieve through persistence and perseverance. When you have achieved financial freedom, you can make life decisions without facing undue stress regarding the consequences of such decisions. This happens when you don’t have any significant debt repayment pressure, you have a reassuring bank balance and you have been investing towards your future financial goals.

With financial freedom, you have complete control over your finances, rather than your decisions getting influenced by the financial constraints in your life. You can buy a pair of designer boots without bothering about the price tag, or help out a cousin whose business has been facing bad times.

To achieve it you need to have enough savings, investments, and cash on hand at any given time. Low income is assumed to be the most common cause of financial stress. However, it is the lack of a consistent financial plan and inefficient debt repayments that have deprived many households of financial freedom.

Once again, like art, financial freedom may have different meanings for different individuals. Merely wishing for financial freedom is not enough, as long as it is not something tangible. Therefore, to achieve financial freedom you must have specific goals and deadlines. The success of your financial freedom depends on how specific your goals are. As a start, you must assess your lifestyle needs. How much should you have in your bank account to make that possible? At what age is the deadline to save that amount or achieve that goal?

Next, count backwards from your deadline age to your current age and establish financial mileposts at regular intervals between the two dates. Write all amounts and deadlines down carefully and put the goal sheet at the front of your financial binder.