Like it or not, money is a reality we all have to face.

Most of us understand that the things that are really important in life are experiences, friends, and family, but it is hard to escape the fact that financial freedom gives you a lot more time to make the most of those things.

Couple that with the fact that not being able to pay your bills is one of the most stressful experiences a person can have, and you begin to understand that the ability to generate income is a key skill for most people. So what can you do to most effectively increase income?

Make a plan

As with most things in life, the key to making money is to have a good plan in place. Having a set of instructions to follow will keep you on task and help you feel like you are making progress even on days when it is hard to see any movement.

Steps to Achieving Your Financial Freedom and Success

Each week, think of what you want to accomplish and write down the things you will need to do to get there. Break down the steps you will take to reach your goal and assign each of them to a day on your calendar. When that day comes, make sure you are doing everything you can to move towards success.

Prioritize your actions

It is a simple fact of life that 20% of the work you do will be responsible for 80% of the success you achieve. Whether you call it the 80/20 rule or Pareto’s Principle, the lesson remains the same: you should prioritize the 20% of your work that is likely to lead to success.

Identify and focus your energy on proven sources of income or projects with a good probability of paying off big time. You still need the other 80%, which usually sides projects or ideas in the making, but build your day around your core projects and avenues for success.

What keeps us from achieving our Financial Goals

Try something new

Nothing will erode your confidence like spinning your wheels on a project that ends up going nowhere. If you have committed a lot of time to a project that isn’t paying off, don’t be afraid to walk away.

There is a principle in psychology called justification of effort that says people are more committed to things that they have invested a lot of time and energy in already. This can lead to stubbornly wasting your time on things that will never pay off. Know when you cut your losses and move on to something new.

Say “no”

Your time is the most valuable resource you have and overextending yourself will drain it. Taking on too many projects will also lead to increased stress and less opportunity to pursue exciting opportunities.

Major Financial Mistakes Men Make in Their 20s

Cultivate your ability to say no to things. When a new opportunity comes along, ask yourself if the investment of time it requires is likely to pay off in a way that you feel is appropriate. If the answer is no, walk away.

Be a leader

A well-known key to success in business and in life is the ability to recognize an opportunity before anyone else. With that in mind, you should always be on the lookout for the next great path to success. Keep your mind as open as possible and never stop engaging with the world in creative ways.

Expose yourself to as many conflicting perspectives as you can by reading books to disagree with and taking meetings with people you don’t like. Viewing something from all angles is the best way to really understand it and will help you blaze a new trail.