Hey Ladies...! Part 2 - Page 3

3. No Glass Ceiling

One obstacle for many women in the corporate world is the glass ceiling myth. The glass ceiling professes that, because of our gender, women can only move so far up the corporate ladder.

In the world of investing, the markets don’t care if you’re female or male, black or white, a college grad or a high school dropout. The markets only care about how smart you are with your money. The key is education and experience. The smarter you are with your investment choices, the greater your success as an investor. There are no limits, no ceilings, glass or otherwise, for women in the world of investing.

4. No Limits on Income

Because of the glass ceiling, and because of the still-present wage inequality between men and women, a woman is often limited in the amount of income she can make. Studies show that women, with the same education and experience as their male counterparts, earn about 74 cents for every dollar their male peers earn. In investing, the money you can make is unlimited. You are completely responsible for, and in control of, the amount of money you make as an investor. Since I didn’t want anyone telling me how much money I could make, having no limits on my income appealed to me greatly.

5. Increase Self-Esteem

I think this is one of the greatest benefits to women investors. It’s not unusual for a woman’s self-esteem to be linked to her ability to provide for herself. Being dependent on anyone for your financial life can lead to a reduced sense of self-worth. You may do things you otherwise wouldn’t do if money weren’t an issue.

I’ve seen women’s self-esteem soar once they knew how to make it on their own financially. And when a woman’s self-esteem rises, the relationships around her tend to improve. Her life improves overall, because she feels good about herself and she is making choices that are genuinely true to her. With every little victory you accomplish, your confidence increases. Increased confidence leads to higher self-esteem. Higher self-esteem leads to greater success, which ultimately leads to the greatest gift of all—freedom.

These five reasons support why women and investing go hand-in-hand. The statistics prove how much times have changed for women and point out that our need for real-life financial education is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Depending on someone else for your financial future is like rolling the dice in Las Vegas. The reward may be there in the end, but the risk is steep. Glass ceilings and income limits are what so many women have been fighting against for ages. Both disappear in the world of investing. And then two of the greatest gifts of all—a higher sense of self-worth and time to spend exactly as you want—can be yours. Investing is no longer just a good idea for women. It’s a must-have.

This article is adapted from Rich Woman: A Book on Investing for Women. Copyright ©2006 by Kim Kiyosaki. Published by Rich Press

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