Well, we’re almost at the end of another podcast season! Just like last year, for my second to last episode I wanted to do a special solo episode. I wanted to just chat one-on-one with you about some of the things I’ve been up to and have realized this year. Then, I wanted share some of the biggest money takeaways from both Season 6 and 7 of the Mo’ Money Podcast. My Personal Realizations from 2018 Let’s first start with some of my personal realizations this year. This year has been truly amazing. I’ll do a longer blog post closer to the end of the year really reflecting on all that happened, but two keys things I’ve realized this year: my mission/purpose is to help others, and the only way to do that is to talk to real people like you (meaning, don’t get stuck in my little personal finance bubble). Going back to when I was a missionary in Africa at 18 (you can learn more in Ep. 20), I’ve been looking for a way to have a career that isn’t just personally meaningful, but also impactful on other people’s lives in a positive way. In short, I’ve felt for a very long time that I’ve been put on this Earth to help people. When I was in my 20s, I thought maybe the way to do that was to become a filmmaker and make documentaries that educated others, or films that lifted people’s spirits. Then, real life happened and I just needed a job to earn a living. My dream of having a job that helped others went by the wayside, until I got the idea to start my personal finance blog. Even though it was just a hobby at the time, I finally felt like I had a creative outlet and a means to help others by sharing my own personal finance journey. It’s crazy to think that by starting my blog over 7 years ago, I would eventually end up running my own business and helping others with their personal finances full-time. Life is unpredictable, but for the first time since I became self-employed (almost 2 years now), I finally feel like I’ve been able to accomplish that big goal of having a job that helps others too. And honestly the big reason I feel like that is this year I’ve had more opportunities to talk to real people. Sometimes they are people like you who listen to my podcast, read my blog, watch my videos, or follow me on social media. Sometimes they have no idea who I am, but I meet them at events or through friends and we strike up a conversation about money. It is seriously so cool to be able to find out what people do with their money, and what they struggle with. For years I was pretty much in this echo-chamber of just talking with other personal finance content creators or reading articles by finance journalists. That’s not real life. The only way to understand how to help people with their money is to talk to them. It’s been an education, but it’s definitely been helpful in me having a better sense of direction in terms of what I can do in the future to spread the word and help even more people. 8 Money Takeaways from 2018 I’ve interviewed 41 people on the podcast this year. That’s almost one person per week! I’ve loved every single interview, but there are a 8 interviews in particular that stuck out to me because of the tips and takeaways they shared. [Ep. 139] Perez Hilton – Hustle Hard to Make More Money I’m a huge fan of Perez Hilton (I’ve been reading his blog for a decade), so it was seriously such a thrill to interview him on my show. And he did not disappoint as a guest. He was very open and honest about how he made a ton of money mistakes which forced him to file for bankruptcy. But he learned from those mistakes, and is now very conscious of all of his money decisions. Still, the biggest takeaway from his interview was to hustle hard and focus on earning more. Yes, there is value in living simply and frugally, but that shouldn’t deter you from trying new things, working hard, and striving to always earn more money. [Ep. 148] J.D. Roth – Take Charge of Your Finances (No One Else Will) J.D. Roth is one of the OG personal finance blogger