What do you and most movie stars have in common?

Not sure?  Here is a hint…

As a kid, Jim Carrey and his family lived in a van for 8 months.  As a young adult, he lived in a tent on his sisters lawn.

In her early 20's, Halle Berry lived in a homeless shelter.  She sites perseverance as getting her to where she is today.

After his divorce, Steve Harvey lived in his 1976 Ford Pinto for 3 years in between comedy gigs when he was put up in a hotel.   “It was so disheartening,” Harvey said. “A week is really the maximum you can do. This was three years! It was rock bottom. But even in my darkest days I had faith it would turn around.”

Times up!  What do you think?  What do you and most movie stars have in common?

If you said, they were ordinary people before achieving their goal, you win!  1,000 points for playing and 10,000 points for getting the right answer.  I am a fan of Who's Line is it Anyway?  ha-ha!  🙂

Most big actors didn't start out being famous.  Before they “made it big” they were people, like you and me, looking for a better life.  Ordinary people.  Persevering through the hard times.  Staying true to their passions.

We all have to start somewhere.  It doesn't matter where you start from or how old you are. 

There is no over night success, unless you define overnight as years long.  We all have to start somewhere.  It doesn't matter where you start from or how old you are.  What matters is you 1) start and 2) keeping putting one foot in front of the other.  Suddenly, you'll find yourself being that “overnight sensation”.

You: But Pie Lady FI, all of these people were young when they hit it big.  I am past all of that, its too late for me.

Oh contraire!!!  Not true.  There are just as many examples of ordinary “older” people before they hit their overnight sensation stride.

Stan Lee didn't write his first comic until he was almost 40!

Julia Child worked in Secret Intelligence during WWII and didn't even start her cooking career until her 50's.  A spy!!  Wow!  How cool is that!?!  But I digress.

Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book, when she was 65!  Maybe you have heard of it.  Its called, Little House on the Prairie!

And, lets not forget, Susan Boyle, discovered on Britain's Got Talent, at the age of 48.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Let's try again: What do you and all of these people have in common?

Yes, they all went slow… before they “seemingly overnight” went fast.  Or maybe I should say, we all have the opportunities … to just go.  Go slow.  Move forward.  Everyday is an opportunity to take a step forward.

In 2008, at 40, I was newly separated, with a preschooler and kindergartener.  I kept the house.  He kept most of the cash.  It was scary.  It was hard.  There were many days, I didn't know how we were going to make it.  I lost my job and went in & out of temp jobs for 5 years ( almost 2 years living on unemployment!).

10 years later, here I am, very close to making my own goal of financial independence.  Just like Halle, Jim, Steve and all the others,  I kept my eye on the prize and kept moving forward, slowly … to my own “overnight sensation”.

You too can be that next “overnight sensation”.  All you have to do is get started.  Here are 3 steps to do just that.

Determine net worth (assets – liabilities).

Be honest.  Assess where you are.  Be ok with whatever your net worth is today.  Its just a point in time.  You have the power to change it.  Wynonna Judd has a song called Rock Bottom.  My favorite line is, when you hit rock bottom there's only two ways to go, straight up and sideways.  🙂 Be determined to go “straight up”.

Part of starting is knowing where you are.  You wouldn't take a road trip unless you know your starting and ending point.  Why should your financial independence journey be any different?

What is Your Passion?

Where do your interests lie? Maybe its individual stocks or real estate.  Maybe you have had an idea for a side gig but haven’t had the nerve to start.  This is your year to go bigger.

Spend a little bit of time thinking about what you like doing.  If it’s not individual stocks then go for mutual funds, if you don’t want to own rental properties or flip houses then invest in a REIT.  Maybe you don’t want to start a side business but would rather invest in someone else’s idea.  Whatever it is, it’s important that its makes you happy and excited to work on it.

Make A Plan

Do your homework.  Before investing, research. research and a little more research.  Arm yourself with rock solid information.  Talk to your friends or people you trust.  If it’s something big, like starting your own side gig, definitely get a mentor(s) and/or join a mastermind group.  The support is invaluable and keeps you on track and accountable.

Like I said, you wouldn't go on a road trip until you know your start point, end point and a map connecting the two, with the route you want to go.  Take some time, go slow, map out your plan.  Decide to take a baby steps every day to move forward.

Before you know it, you'll be “going fast”.