The natural result of this laser focus was mastery around how to effectively serve his chiropractic patients and support his team in their roles. This type of mastery is hard to achieve if you're being pulled in many directions, but because he was clear about investing in himself and what he knew to be important, the distractions were never able to take hold.

Instead, more opportunities related to his passions showed up and he was able to continue to create even more value for those that he served. For example, as a result of the growth of his businesses, Steve had to build interconnecting software that enabled his many offices to communicate and share information about their clients with one another. This is an example of processes and procedures that lead to efficiency and less reliance on human labor. At the time, he had invested $300,000 in the system and didn't realize that this would one day become another opportunity to help others succeed from his work - he just knew it would benefit his team and his patients.

However, as technology became the standard, and even encouraged by the government in the form of tax incentives, Dr. Windwer was able to take the valuable system he had created to the world in the form of an inexpensive electronic health record system. This type of investment has the possibility of becoming a completely separate form of income, while still staying in his control and supporting his ultimate goal - to help people be healthier. So there is no reason to be in the stock market and have that type of concern around if it is going up or down, wondering what the expenses are, and losing control over money. Steve can use those funds to market or build something he has say in and influence over. Something that matters.

The biggest benefits Dr. Windwer has seen through investing in himself and his business isn't even just the financial reward. Through his multiple locations, the new software and other avenues - he knows that his money is supporting and furthering what he believes in rather than funding a nameless, faceless and meaningless stock portfolio. He is in charge of his lifestyle and his investments so he can be certain that he'll be able to support and spend time with his family as he chooses. Hey, he even went to the Great Barrier Reef, then came home and coached a woman's basketball team in a tournament and only made it to the office once in 60 days, but had the highest collections since his company began (building people, process, and procedures). He's been able to create his life the way that he chose, rather than being a slave to the markets or unknown future results.

Investing in Yourself

One of the greatest aspects of investing in yourself and keeping your money close to home (where you have say and it is in alignment with your purpose and vision) is that you build relationships that you would have otherwise never had known. See, wealth is built through conversation. While other people are complaining about their retirement plans or the market, Dr. Windwer is looking for people he can partner with to bring his software to the chiropractic profession. He is meeting new people each week that have expertise in areas that add new dimensions and opportunities. I call this Relationship Capital. When you meet people that you can play the value creation game with - what do I know or who do I know that can assist you in solving a problem or serving at a greater capacity - then you can accelerate your wealth and enhance the enjoyment of your life.

Some of the greatest relationships I have developed and that work with my firm are key influencers in the profession: Dr. Patrick Gentempo, Dr. David Jackson, Dr. Steve Hoffman, Dr. Michael Gandolfi, Dr. Jeff Spencer, Dr. Russ Rosen, Dr. Ted Morter, and the list goes on. The great thing is that the health of my family has drastically improved due to these connections (I learn from them). I have had some of the best trips with these individuals and we happen to get some business done along the way. On the contrary, I have never had a good time with a "fund manager" or CEO of some Fortune 500 company because I own their stock in my retirement plan. But I have built lifelong relationships serving great people through my passion and purpose leading to more prosperity for all those involved. This is a game changer and allows you to live wealthier today rather than waiting for 30 years or some long haul hoping that the markets will cooperate with you.

This story is not an isolated incident either. Dr. Michael Heinzlmeir chose to invest in himself and his business over the stock market and built a membership that is simple and affordable for his patients. It integrates meal planning, grocery lists, recipes and health education. It also includes exercise videos and is delivered online at www.xlr40.com. This is key with new client acquisition, retention, and increased profitability/lifetime value of a patient. This is turning purpose into profitability.

If you want financial freedom, get freedom from investments that you don't understand, that impact your mood based upon fluctuations you have little to no control over and that have nothing to do with your purpose. When the stock market goes up or down, we don't worry. We invest in our businesses, our purpose.

As you can see from these case studies, investing in yourself can take many forms, but the returns can also pay in multiple ways, too. The traditional method of handing money over to a "financial expert" will, at most, create a financial return. However, by investing in yourself you are able to experience fulfillment in alignment with your beliefs, being in charge of your assets, the ability to recover if something goes wrong (because you've learned the skills to make money, not just save it), and many other rewards in addition to financial success.

These "extra" rewards are the richness of life and when aligned with your life's soul purpose, they create true wealth. Because of the high degree of success Dr. Windwer experienced, it would be nearly impossible to calculate the rate of return that he and others like him have seen by investing in themselves, but it's safe to say that anyone who can see the results of such decisions would call them a success!

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Garrett Gunderson is a financial advocate to chiropractors and the author of the best-selling book Killing Sacred Cows: Overcoming the Financial Myths that are Destroying Your Prosperity. Get a free hardcover copy at www.freebookforchiros.com or by calling (877) 389-6547.