financial freedom

Money Mastery: Lessons from Paul Counsel’s Program

Enterprise For KidsTeam Mindset, Confidence & Leadership, Money Lessons for Kids , , , , , , , , , ,
Paul Counsel teaching in the Money Mastery Program about financial freedom and money mindset

Money Mastery became much more than a financial education program for us. It became a deep journey into mindset, values, financial freedom and the kind of life we wanted to model for our children.

Have you ever had that inner desire to make a difference in the world, but felt frustrated that so much of your time and energy was being poured into simply earning enough money to keep up with life, bills and raising a family?

Money Mastery quote about changing the world from within
The world can only change from within — a powerful idea behind our Money Mastery journey.

Money Mastery and the Desire to Make a Difference

Have you wondered what you could do if you had the resources of time, knowledge and money to be that difference?

Children grow up full of potential and excitement about their lives and what they wish to accomplish. Ideally, we as parents want to be an inspiration to them. We want to show by example that they too can achieve what they put their minds to.

Do you ever wonder what worldly achievements and contributions your children will end up making?

Cath and I have huge dreams. We are aiming for the stars. We aspire to achieve, experience and contribute in a grand way. We want to lead our own children to think big, experience life deeply and make a significant difference to the lives of others while they are here on Earth.

Money Mastery quote about thinking big and aiming for the stars
Money Mastery helped us think bigger about life, contribution and financial freedom.

This is our “Why”, and it is why we began the journey seeking the understanding and mindset shifts required to achieve financial freedom.

Paul Counsel and the Money Mastery Mentoring Program

This past year has been, by far, the biggest year for us in terms of shifting our mindset around success.

In March, we embarked on a year-long Money Mastery Mentoring Program led by Dr Paul Counsel. Paul opened our eyes to possibility, gave us tools to make the inner shifts required to achieve financial freedom, and helped us look more closely at the subconscious thinking and conditioning that can shape our results.

You can learn more about Paul Counsel’s current work through Money Mastery Academy.

Our year felt like a roller-coaster ride. There were ups, downs and plenty of bumps along the way. It was full-on trying to sort out the logistics of children, family life and busy schedules while still maintaining momentum.

Without our beautiful friends and family supporting us throughout the year, I am certain we would not have made it this far.

Stephen Covey quote connected to Money Mastery and personal change
Lasting change begins with the way we think, choose and act.

Money Mastery, Financial Freedom and Self Discovery

The Money Mastery program was largely about achieving financial freedom. But for us, it was also a self-discovery mentoring program.

Through the process, we revealed so much about ourselves: our deep-rooted values, our subconscious thinking, our conditioning and our future realities.

That matters because financial freedom is not only about numbers. It is also about beliefs, choices, habits, values and identity.

We came to understand that if our inner thinking does not shift, our outer financial results are unlikely to shift in a lasting way.

This is one of the lessons we want our children to absorb. Money is not just something to earn and spend. It is connected to choices, freedom, contribution and the way we design our lives.

Money Mastery and the Mindset We Model for Our Children

As parents, we can talk to our children about money, success and contribution. But what they watch matters even more.

They watch whether we think big or small. They watch whether we believe we can change. They watch whether we stay stuck in old patterns or choose to grow. They watch whether we simply talk about financial freedom or actually take steps toward it.

That is why Money Mastery was so important for us. It challenged us to look at the patterns we were living from and the example we were setting.

If we want our children to become confident, capable and entrepreneurial, then they need to see us learning, stretching and taking responsibility for our own growth as well.

Paul Counsel Money Mastery Mentoring Program quote about financial freedom and mindset
The Money Mastery Mentoring Program helped us reflect deeply on mindset, values and financial freedom.

Financial Freedom, Family Values and Big Dreams

One of the big distinctions for us was understanding the link between business, money and our highest values.

Our children have always been our highest value. That is beautiful, but it also meant that family life naturally took our time, focus and energy. We had to learn how to align our desire for business, contribution and financial freedom with our value of family, rather than feeling as if they were competing against each other.

That is one of the reasons Enterprise for Kids became so meaningful to us.

It allowed us to connect family, learning, enterprise and money lessons together. It gave us a way to grow our own entrepreneurial mindset while helping our children understand confidence, creativity, responsibility and opportunity.

Money Mastery helped us see that financial freedom is not separate from family. Done well, it can support family, strengthen choices and open up more possibilities for the future.

Our Money Mastery Review

As we reached the final weekend of our year-long Money Mastery Mentoring Program, we found ourselves reflecting on how much had changed.

There were many things to weigh up about what came next, but one thing was certain: our future felt as though it was opening wide before us.

We decided to write a full review of our Money Mastery Mentoring Program. In that review, we shared why we chose to take on such a mentoring program, what the year was like, and some of the massive distinctions that changed our lives.

We invite you to read about our journey and experiences, and to pass it on to interested friends.

Leo Tolstoy quote connected to Money Mastery and changing ourselves
Real change often begins when we are willing to look honestly at ourselves.

We are hopeful that when you read it, you gain inspiration and perhaps some real insight into your own life. We reflected on some of the reasons why things happen the way they do, and why they sometimes do not.

So go make yourself a cuppa, sit down in a comfy chair and take the time to read our full Money Mastery Mentoring Program review.

Read the full review here: Money Mastery Mentoring Program Reviewed

Key Takeaway: Money Mastery Starts From Within

Key takeaway: Money Mastery is not only about financial strategies. For us, it was about mindset, family values, financial freedom and the inner shifts needed to create a bigger future for ourselves and our children.

Where to Next?

Have you ever taken on a program, mentor or experience that changed the way you think about money, family and the future? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

How Bad Do You Want It?

Cathy and Trevor Mindset, Confidence & Leadership , , , , , , , , , ,
Kids jumping off a sand dune on a USA family trip with the words How Bad Do You Want It

How bad do you want it? That question became a powerful student motivation lesson in our family after Kaitlin shared a short video about success, focus and wanting something badly enough to keep going.

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We were originally going to write about Kit and Chayse’s enterprise goals, but this video made us pause. It challenged us to think about what real commitment looks like — not just for business, but for study, sport, family, financial freedom and life.

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How Bad Do You Want It video clip used as a student motivation lesson about focus and goals
How Bad Do You Want It? Click the image to watch the video that sparked this lesson on focus, goals and success.

How Bad Do You Want It? A Student Motivation Lesson

Our daughter Kaitlin saw the How Bad Do You Want It? video on YouTube and sent us the link. We thought it was awesome. It does not go for very long, but the message is strong enough to stay with you.

The video tells the story of a young man who wanted to be successful. He went to a guru and said he wanted to be on the same level. The guru took him into the water and eventually held his head under until the young man desperately wanted air.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”

That is a confronting image, but it makes the point. Many of us say we want success, but we also want comfort, convenience, distraction and easy results at the same time.

After watching the video, it made us ask ourselves honestly: do we really want it, or do we only kind of want it?

Intense desire quote from How Bad Do You Want It student motivation lesson

How Bad Do You Want It When Life Gets Busy?

Want what, you may ask?

Well, anything really.

How much do we want our fitness levels to be at their best? How much do we want to be financially free? How much do we want a happy and loving family life? How much do we want time with friends, unique experiences and a life that feels meaningful?

For us, it is a little bit of everything.

But one of the things we realised while completing Paul Counsel’s Money Mastery course was this: when we split our attention between everything, we often get a medium result from everything.

There is nothing wrong with that. It can make life comfortable, and that is fine for many people.

But for us, we were ready to challenge ourselves. We were ready to step up and make a difference in those areas in a big way, not an average way.

How Bad Do You Want It quote about wanting success and staying committed
Wanting success is easy. Staying focused long enough to earn it is the challenge.

Student Motivation Starts With Focus

This is where the video becomes such a useful student motivation lesson.

Students often say they want strong results. They want good marks, sporting success, creative achievement, friendships, confidence or future opportunities. But the real question is whether their daily actions match what they say they want.

That is not a criticism. It is a life lesson.

Focus is difficult. Life is noisy. Friends, phones, family, sport, school, work, hobbies and distractions all pull at our attention. Even adults struggle with this.

But if a teenager wants a result badly enough, they need to learn how to protect their focus. That might mean:

  • doing the study before the distraction,
  • finishing the task before moving on,
  • training when they do not feel like training,
  • asking for help instead of giving up,
  • and remembering why the goal matters.

This is not only about school. The same lesson applies to young entrepreneurs, young athletes, musicians, writers and children with business ideas.

How Bad Do You Want It as a Family?

As parents, we also had to ask ourselves the same question.

So, while we may not exist on three hours of sleep a night — although that has been debatable at times with an eighteen-month-old in the house — we do put in long hours.

We stay up late, long after the kids have gone to bed, working on our internet business, studies, trading and health and wellbeing business. We are not doing this because we want to be busy for the sake of being busy. We are doing it because we are trying to build a future with more freedom, more choice and more meaningful experiences for our family.

Focus your mind and energy on what you want as a student motivation lesson
Where your attention goes, your results often follow.

We know we are already successful in some parts of our lives. We have a wonderful family and supportive friends, and we know that came through dedication and focus.

Now we are working to transfer that same focus into other areas of life.

Financial Freedom and Determined Focus

Financial freedom has always been one of the bigger goals behind Enterprise for Kids. Not because money is the only measure of success, but because freedom gives families options.

When we are financially free, we can create more time with our kids. We can hire help for some of the mundane things in life. We can create awesome experiences beyond what we have already had. We can take time to enrich our relationships without constantly worrying about the next bill.

That takes determined focus.

It may take us longer to achieve our goals than it will for Giavanni Ruffin, the athlete in the video. He has major, unstoppable focus and he will achieve. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when.

But even if we used just a tenth of that energy and commitment, it would still be better than having no focus at all.

Commitment quote about focus and how bad do you want it
Clear intention and determined focus help turn goals into action.

How to Stay Focused on Your Goals

One of the strongest lessons from this video is that attention matters.

Where your attention is held is what tends to show up in your life. You need to attend to your intention. A clear intention, backed by determined focus, can set you on the right path to success.

For children and teenagers, this can be made very practical.

1. Name the goal clearly

A vague goal is easy to ignore. A clear goal gives the mind something to aim at.

2. Ask why it matters

Children need to know why the goal matters to them, not just why it matters to the adults around them.

3. Remove one distraction

Focus does not always require a complete life overhaul. Sometimes it starts by removing one distraction for one hour.

4. Take one action today

The best motivation for students often comes after action, not before it. Start small, then build momentum.

5. Review the result

After the action, ask: what worked, what did not work, and what is the next step?

Goal Setting for Teenagers and Enterprising Kids

This lesson on focus can be applied by anyone. It applies to teenagers studying at high school, kids with big sporting ambitions, parents developing a business, and young people building an enterprise.

Kaitlin was challenged with maintaining focus in her studies. We were glad she discovered this video, thought about its excellent message, and decided to share it with us.

That is exactly what we want for our children. We want them to notice ideas that challenge them. We want them to question themselves. We want them to think about what they want and whether their habits are helping them get there.

For enterprising kids, this is especially important. Business ideas are exciting at the start, but results usually come after the boring, repetitive, uncomfortable parts: following up, finishing the job, practising the skill, serving the customer, improving the offer and trying again after disappointment.

How Bad Do You Want It? Part 2

If you enjoyed the first video clip and thought that was all there was, you may also like the second part.

How Bad Do You Want It Part 2 video for student motivation and focus
How Bad Do You Want It? Part 2 — click the image to view.

Key Takeaway: How Bad Do You Want It?

Key takeaway: How bad do you want it? Success is not only about wanting a result. It is about focus, commitment and taking repeated action when the goal matters enough.

Where to Next?

How badly do you want the goal you say matters to you? And what is one action you can take today to move closer to it?

Young Australian Entrepreneurs: Lessons from Dale Beaumont

Cathy and Trevor Mindset, Confidence & Leadership , , , , , , , , , , ,
Dale Beaumont presenting at Business Blueprint as an example of young Australian entrepreneurs

Young Australian entrepreneurs can be powerful role models for children. When kids see real people building businesses, creating freedom and using their success with purpose, enterprise becomes much more than an idea in a book.

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Dale Beaumont is one of those examples. His story reminded us that who we spend time with, who we learn from and who we allow to influence our thinking can shape what we believe is possible.

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Dale Beaumont as a young entrepreneur inspiring enterprising kids
Dale Beaumont began his entrepreneurial journey young, making his story a powerful example for enterprising kids.

Young Australian Entrepreneurs: Lessons from Dale Beaumont

Part of what we love about this blog is that we get to share the success of young entrepreneurs with not only our readers, but also our kids.

As we have been learning through Paul Counsel’s course, and as Dale Beaumont also reinforced for us, who you “hang with” is often who you become like.

That can be a scary thought, or it can be an inspiring thought, depending on your peers and the people you spend the most time with.

Luckily, we have wonderful family and friends. But for us, it is also important to include people who have achieved success in areas where we are still learning and growing.

Some of our family and friends fulfil those needs, but a sure way of increasing self-efficacy for us and our kids is to mix with other successful entrepreneurs, business owners and people who think differently.

Dale Beaumont as a Young Australian Entrepreneur

Dale Beaumont Secrets Exposed Series as an example of young Australian entrepreneurs creating books and business education
Dale Beaumont wrote the Secrets Exposed series.

Dale Beaumont is one such inspiring young Australian entrepreneur. He may not see himself as “young” anymore, but his success started at the tender age of 19.

Before developing his entrepreneurial skills, Dale was an accomplished gymnast and probably what many people would call an overachiever.

When Dale was 19, he co-authored a book called The World at Your Feet, which became the basis of his successful program, Tomorrow’s Youth. Through that program, he taught young people essential life skills.

From there, Dale went on to publish books, build relationships with other successful entrepreneurs, business owners and thought leaders, and eventually develop Business Blueprint.

His journey is a wonderful example for children because it shows that enterprise can begin young. It also shows that success is rarely about one single moment. It is built through learning, relationships, systems, action and persistence.

What Young Australian Entrepreneurs Teach Our Kids

One of the biggest lessons Dale Beaumont’s story teaches our children is that entrepreneurship is not just about making money.

It is about learning how to think. It is about developing skills, building useful systems, creating value, managing time, solving problems and making choices that can lead to more freedom.

Dale Beaumont with his family showing family freedom through entrepreneurship
Dale with one of his children.
Dale Beaumont and his wife travelling as a result of business systems and financial freedom
Inside the Sistine Chapel.

Dale is married and has two boys, and one of the things that really appealed to Trevor and me was that his focus was not only on business growth. It was also on creating time and freedom to travel with his young family.

He was able to do this because he had built systems within his business so that everything could keep ticking along with or without him.

You can imagine how appealing that was to us.

We did not want business success that simply created another job. We wanted to learn how business could create choice, flexibility and meaningful family experiences.

Lessons from Business Blueprint

I will not go through the whole workshop that my good friend Sally and I attended in Perth, but I do want to share a few highlights that really stuck with me as Dale spoke.

Dale Beaumont presenting at Business Blueprint as an example of young Australian entrepreneurs
Presenting at Business Blueprint.

Two sayings that stood out were:

“Empty bank accounts don’t feed the people.”

“The poor can’t help the poor.”

Those two sayings alone say a lot.

Some people want money purely for money’s sake — to have nice things and show others how well they are doing. Others want money so they can enjoy wonderful experiences, support their family, do good things in the world and make a difference in the lives of others.

We fall into that second category.

Dale’s example helped reinforce something important for our family: money with purpose can become a tool for freedom, contribution and service.

Money, Purpose and Making a Difference

One thing we found inspiring was Dale’s support for Hands Across the Water in Thailand. It was powerful to see an entrepreneur using his success and influence to make a difference in the lives of children.

This is an important message for enterprising kids.

We do not want our children to think that business is only about making money. We want them to understand that business can also create choices, opportunities and the ability to contribute.

That idea connects beautifully with our own reflections on whether having a money mindset can also be charitable.

The Internet Changed Business Forever

New Rules of Business seminar showing how the internet changed business for young Australian entrepreneurs
New Rules of Business seminar.

The internet has changed business forever.

If we do not embrace that change, our businesses can get left behind. A classic example was the way physical bookstores were challenged as online bookselling grew rapidly.

The point for our children is clear: the business world they are growing into is very different from the business world we grew up in.

Today’s young people need to understand technology, online marketing, digital systems, automation, websites, customer service, communication and content.

They do not need to master all of these skills as children, but they do need to grow up with the mindset that learning never stops.

The Coffin or the Hourglass

Dale shared something he learnt when he was just starting out in business.

He called it the coffin or the hourglass.

The coffin or the hourglass business planning model taught by Dale Beaumont
The Coffin or the Hourglass.

Many people starting in business spend more time taking action than they do strategising or planning where they want their business to end up.

Taking action is important, of course. But you do not want your business to be like a coffin, where little time is spent thinking, planning and designing the right direction, while heaps of time is spent taking action that may not be very fruitful.

The hourglass, on the other hand, is about putting time into planning, strategising and thinking first.

With well thought-out plans in place, the action you take becomes more focused and the results are more fruitful.

So what would you prefer? A business with the coffin model, or one with the hourglass model?

Young Australian Entrepreneurs Need Systems

I think one of the reasons Dale became successful in a relatively short period of time was his ability to let go of things that could be done by someone else and focus on the things he needed to do to be effective within his business.

That is a major lesson for young Australian entrepreneurs.

Hard work matters, but systems matter too.

Business owners who try to do absolutely everything themselves can quickly become exhausted. Systems help free up time, improve consistency and allow business owners to focus on the areas where they can create the most value.

In the original version of this article, we talked in detail about a particular automation and CRM system we had started using at the time. Years later, the exact tools have changed, but the lesson remains the same.

Business systems can help with:

  • email follow-up,
  • customer records,
  • online payments,
  • memberships or subscriptions,
  • event management,
  • task management,
  • marketing follow-up,
  • and website processes.

The specific software will keep changing, but the mindset is timeless: build systems that help your business run more smoothly.

You can learn more about Dale Beaumont and his business education work through Business Blueprint.

What This Means for Enterprising Kids

So, how does all of this relate to enterprising kids?

For any business our kids choose to start, using the internet will be a given, especially as they grow into young adults.

If we want our kids to be competitive in today’s markets, we need to show them the way by continuing to learn ourselves.

They will follow our lead. They will absorb whether we are curious, whether we keep improving, whether we look for better systems and whether we are willing to adapt.

We want our children to have a mindset that says:

Get savvy. Learn. Improve. Keep going.

Bedtime Reading for Enterprising Kids

Chayse holding business books as bedtime reading for enterprising kids
Bedtime reading for enterprising kids.

Generation Y and the generations after them are already building and creating things that improve efficiency in their lives.

Why spend six hours on something if you can learn how to streamline it and do it in one?

That is the world our children are growing into.

We agree completely that life is not meant to be all about work. We want to work to live, not live to work, and we want our kids to understand that concept too.

At the same time, we want them to know that learning from successful entrepreneurs can expand their thinking.

Books, mentors, workshops, conversations and real-world examples can all help children see what is possible.

We no longer need a long list of affiliate-linked books here. The bigger message is simply this: expose children to inspiring people and ideas, then help them apply those ideas in age-appropriate ways.

Key Takeaway: Young Australian Entrepreneurs Can Inspire Kids

Key takeaway: young Australian entrepreneurs like Dale Beaumont can help children see what is possible. When kids are exposed to mentors, business systems, purpose-driven money lessons and real-world learning, they begin to understand that enterprise can create freedom, contribution and choice.

Where to Next?

Who are your children learning from, and what kind of thinking are those influences helping them develop?

Financial Freedom: Our Enterprise for Kids Journey Begins

Enterprise For KidsTeam Family Enterprise Stories, Website Updates , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Enterprise for Kids family beginning their journey toward financial freedom

Financial freedom was the dream that began our Enterprise for Kids journey. We were one average, large and happy family daring to dream big, hoping to escape the Rat Race and help our children grow up with a different understanding of money, opportunity and enterprise.

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This was our very first post. It marked the beginning of a family adventure where we would learn alongside our children, challenge our own thinking and explore what it takes to raise enterprising kids.

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Enterprise for Kids family about to begin an entrepreneurial adventure
About to embark on our new entrepreneurial adventure.

Financial Freedom: Our Enterprise for Kids Journey Begins

Welcome to our blog, Enterprise for Kids!

We are one average, large and happy family daring to dream big.

We are on a journey to escape from the Rat Race and join the relative few who have achieved personal and financial freedom.

But we have seven gorgeous reasons to try.

We hope to inspire others to follow our lead and to provide our readers with insights and ideas into how it can be done.

Why We Started Enterprise for Kids

Our story begins with a huge understanding of what it takes to be a loving and adventurous family with wonderful family and friends, but only a little understanding of what it takes to be financially successful.

It is from this point, and with the help of a successful entrepreneurial mentor, that we will start our journey.

It is our hope that our children can gain a financial education and success mindsets surrounding money, whilst maintaining a genuine love of life.

For us, financial freedom is not just about money.

It is about having choices.

It is about being able to follow passions, serve others, support family, contribute to community and live with more freedom, purpose and possibility.

Teaching Our Children Enterprise Skills

We want to teach our children how to develop enterprise skills.

In simple terms, that means learning how to spot an opportunity.

We also want them to learn how to put that opportunity into practice through entrepreneurial skills, and of course, how to manage money successfully.

In addition to this, we want them to appreciate and be grateful for all the opportunities they attract, and learn to give back to the community in a way that makes a real difference.

This process will take time, but we hope you enjoy the learning with us.

The Australian Government’s MoneySmart guide to teaching kids about money is a useful reminder that parents can start early and make money part of everyday life.

That is exactly what we hoped to do through Enterprise for Kids — make money, enterprise, giving, gratitude and opportunity part of our family conversations.

Following Each Child’s Enterprise Journey

You will have the opportunity to follow each of our kids on their individual journeys, and ours too.

We also plan to introduce some of our kids’ friends to Enterprise for Kids, and our blog will follow their journeys too.

Conventional thinking may be challenged as we look and reflect upon our own belief systems and learn what it takes for a person to become financially and personally free.

We know we do not have all the answers.

In fact, much of this journey will be about learning by doing.

We will be learning as parents, and our children will be learning through real enterprise projects, money lessons, goal setting, mistakes, action and reflection.

Financial Freedom Begins with Mindset

One of the biggest things we hope to explore is mindset.

How do people think when they create personal and financial freedom?

How do they see opportunity?

How do they use money?

How do they manage risk?

How do they teach their children to think differently?

These are the questions we are beginning with.

As a family, we want our children to understand that there are many pathways in life. A job may be one path, but enterprise, creativity, investing, service, problem solving and contribution can also shape a person’s future.

The Beginning of the Enterprise for Kids Journey

So jump on board and let’s see where this exciting new adventure, Enterprise for Kids, takes us.

Visit our About Us page to meet us all.

Follow the Beginning of Our Family Enterprise Journey

Start here: This first post began the Enterprise for Kids journey. These early articles show how our family moved from dreaming about financial freedom to giving the kids real enterprise challenges.

Key Takeaway: Financial Freedom Starts with a Different Conversation

Key takeaway: financial freedom begins with mindset, learning and action. Enterprise for Kids started as our family’s attempt to teach our children about money, opportunity, gratitude, giving and enterprise while learning those same lessons ourselves.

Where to Next?

What kind of financial freedom conversation could begin in your family today?