Game of Trade
Introduction
Real wealth lies within the spiritual things which money simply cannot buy. There is certainly more to life than to be rich; to buy the best of everything, the best cars, the best houses or a private jet to go to the best holiday destinations. But have you ever wondered why money is given such great value?
Money is literally just paper printed by the central bank who supplies and fuels the economy through debt. They are the supplier to the major high street banks which offer consumers loan packages (in simpler terms, different loan agreements) which are in various forms i.e. credit cards, overdrafts, mortgages and personal bank loans.
But have you ever asked yourself why the lack of money causes financial difficulties in our communities today? It’s simple; Ignorance and the fear of playing the Game of Trade are major reasons many people today are facing financial difficulties. Because of this ignorance and fear, many people say, “money isn’t everything”, “money isn’t important” or “I don’t care about money”.
Although everyone is entitled to their own opinion on money, I think that way of thinking can ultimately lead to unnecessary financial stress. However, disregarding the Game of Trade can have your car dealer caring about your car repayments without giving any thought about how that money is repaid – they just want the car payments to be made on time and in full. Likewise, your landlord who locks the tenancy agreement safely within their possession is ready to throw you out onto the streets if they’re not receiving their monthly income. The bank also cares about your money as they hold your mortgage agreement and threaten to repossess your home if payments aren’t made on time. Then there is also the electricity company, who are more than happy to turn off the energy supplied to your house if you’re unable to meet up with your payments. The list goes on…
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t care about money, then your awareness of the Game of Trade is close to none. In this post, I’m only going to cover the most important concept to consider from the game, and I am confident everybody can apply it to their lives. The concept is quite simple; it is the ability to bring to life whatever is conceived within the mind into the physical area which you and I share. However, to do this profitably requires some form of investment.
What is the Game of Trade?
So what is The Game of Trade? Well, firstly the Game of Trade is split into two areas; the psychological & physical areas, which can also be referred to as the area of innovation and the environment of buyers and sellers (the market). The aim of the game is to transport the seed of thought from the psychological into the physical sphere. This isn’t easy. However, the good news is the game is running 24/7, day and night, so you are presented with endless opportunities.
When you came into the world you immediately became a player in the game – whether you play consciously or unconsciously. We are confined in the game by default, and you don’t have a choice but to play. But if you become an Elite player mastering the tools of investment and savings, it becomes easier playing the game and you enjoy what you birth in the process.
Elite Players Vs. Ordinary Players
There are many levels of playing this game. How would you feel if I told you that following everything your parents have told you about money wouldn’t make you an Elite player in this game? In other words, going to school, studying hard, getting good grades, securing a decent job with good pay and saving whatever you can after all expenses are paid. Robert Kiyosaki, an expert in financial education said this is the advice the poor and middle-class receive.
Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t really anything bad in following this type of advice. But when it comes to the Game of Trade, you would only be positioning yourself as an ordinary player. You would be studying hard to become a chess piece in the market available for purchase by an Elite player.
Elite players trade and invest funds to hire the skills of the ordinary players to achieve what they can’t themselves – and they do this all while making a profit. They play the game in a different way; by trading resources for a solution in various forms.
The poor and middle class are largely considered to be the ordinary players in the Game of Trade. They often suffer or fall short in fulfilling their desires predominantly because they usually only have one trade to offer within the Game of Trade – in other words, their career or job. The thing is if you have regular expenses the entities selling to you have the right to influence your life one way or another – whether positively or negatively. This is another aspect of the game; to gain the ability to invest/buy in order to cover whatever you desire. This means if your expenses are too high and/or you want more from life, you need to play the game more instead of ignoring it.
Every creditor and salesman is playing the game of trade and they’ll be your friend as long as you trade funds. When you stop or refuse, you become their enemy. This is when the harassment starts; the constant phone calls, overdue payment letters, and if the situation isn’t remedied action is taken against you – repossession and/or a county court judgment. So, it is important to position yourself as an Elite Player in this Game of Trade so you can make money work for you and not you working for money – thereby being enslaved by it (or rather, the lack of it).
Concept of the Game of Trade
To become an Elite Player, a person must be conscious about their attitude towards investments and savings. I say conscious because those who are fearful of playing the game of trade – or those who are ignorant towards this fundamental game of life – are those who play subconsciously and are likely to
The mind is a powerful and organic piece machinery. Out of it comes many thoughts and desires – along with the various plans to achieve one’s financial goals. The Elite players understand this concept well and use this to their advantage in the Game of Trade by adding value and simultaneously solving problems or meeting needs – and they do it profitably.
Let me explain how I came to notice this concept at work. One day I was driving back to London from the West Midlands. It was cold, dark and I just couldn’t wait to sleep when I arrived home. To make matters even worse, my car heater was no longer working; no heat was coming through, only cold air – it was useless.
As I was approaching the junction to exit the motorway I thought to myself, “I would love a McDonalds hot chocolate to keep me warm, and when I get home I can just go straight to sleep”. Shortly after this, I noticed the Big yellow “M” sign illuminating in the distance. I drove straight to the drive thru and paid £1.99 for a large hot chocolate and requested five milk. I parked my car to have a break from the long journey and began sipping on my hot chocolate. It was so warm and milky, just the way I liked it.
At the end of the day who benefited financially? McDonald of course! McDonald made the investment and learned to meet the needs of those who have a desire for certain products on the go, so they reaped the financial rewards.
Every entrepreneur/investor knows that money is used to measure performance, and building a business or selecting investments presents unlimited opportunities to increase your earning potential. This is the winning strategy of the Elite Players.
If you do not own a business or have investments in place, by default you are a chess piece and fall into the category of ordinary players. Sadly, the strategy of the ordinary players is to sell themselves to an employer (Elite Players) to cover their expenses and save whatever is left. This is a losing strategy as there are just too many things in life which can upset this process. We have all had that unexpected bill to pay or that situation which required emergency funding – and this either leads to withdrawal of the savings (meaning we are pretty much back at the beginning) or taking out a loan and further increasing one’s level of debt.
Conclusion
Your money is moving within an area of constant trade stimulated by the psychological area. If you are not consciously thinking and interactively playing the Game of Trade then you are more likely to experience unfulfilled desires and/or financial difficulties – especially if you are only contributing one trade to the game.
Aim to become an Elite player. To do this it is important to focus on synchronizing investments and savings within the Game of Trade. Think about it, everything you do, need and want is first conceived within the mind before you physically see it. Likewise, everything you see was first conceived in another person’s mind; such as phones, cars, and planes, literally everything. These are all popular items which started as an idea in somebody’s imagination. That idea was then brought to life with an investment.
Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company and sponsor for the development of the ‘assembly line’ mass production is arguably one of the most innovative individuals of all time. He once said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” His attitude towards the Game of Trade has literally revolutionised transportation in the world. Isn’t it time to join the Elite players like Henry Ford by exercising your creative abilities and revolutionise the world too?
Coming up in chapter two: Owo Mi Da? (Where’s my money gone?)
Why saving can benefit and harm you within the Game of Trade.