Passive Income is an Illusion

Everyone wants it. Few actually know how to pursue it, and the costs associated with it.

To many, passive income means freedom. It’s income that continues to flow even when you’re not clocking in, turning the wrench, or sitting in the chair.

But here’s the hard truth: Truly passive income is rare. It’s not what most people think it is. The term “passive income” has become a misleading catchphrase used to sell financial products and pipe dreams.

What Is Truly Passive?

Sure, there are investments that are passive by nature — Treasury bonds, CDs, annuities, and money markets. These are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government, and yes, they provide predictable returns. But for years, those returns hovered near 0–2%, barely outpacing inflation.

Even today, with rising interest rates, the average 1-year CD is yielding about 5.00%. Sounds decent on paper… until you factor in inflation, taxes, and your lifestyle needs. If you’re sitting on $1 million, that’s $50,000 a year — before taxes.

Can you live the life you want on that?

Passive Isn't Passive Anymore

Real estate is my go-to — my core alternative investment. It produces income through rents, interest payments, appreciation, and or depreciation benefits. I love it because it’s real, tangible, and if done right, relatively predictable.

But even real estate is not 100% passive.

You’ve got tenants, market shifts, maintenance, and taxes. You can hire a property manager or invest with a fund or syndication manager, but even then, you must manage the manager.

You must perform a level of due diligence and understand enough to have the proper underwriting in place. It's not about doing nothing — it's about doing the right things intentionally.

Abdication ≠ Delegation

Too many people abdicate their financial future to Wall Street. They hand over their hard-earned dollars to financial advisors and pray for compounding magic. But let me ask you — what happens when the market tanks in the first few years of your retirement?

You’ve heard the words: “You should be okay… as long as the market holds.”

That’s not a plan. That’s a hope and a prayer. And hope is not a strategy.

You’ve Got to Step It Up

This is where the rubber meets the road. We have to grow up financially. We can’t just blindly follow conventional advice. Not when the stakes are this high.

I get it. It feels overwhelming. I’ve walked this path for over 40 years, and much of that journey was experimental, hands-on, trial by fire.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to take that long.

Inside Freedom Founders, we’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, professionals, and practice owners collapse time. We walk with them, not for them. We don’t do it to them. We do it with them.

A Better Way Forward

This isn’t about becoming a full-time investor. It’s about becoming an advocate for your financial future.

No, you don’t have to swing a hammer or chase down tenants. But you do need to understand:

• – Market cycles
• – Asset class diversification
• – Income-producing alternatives
• – Private lending, real estate, and business equity

The mainstream financial system doesn't want you to know this. Why would they? You are their paycheck. The more dependent you are, the more they thrive.

But what if you could learn to deploy your capital in a way that gave you control? Predictability? Freedom?

You Can Learn This

You learned the Krebs cycle. You mastered pharmaceuticals, surgery, legal codes, or business systems. Your own money is easier. And dare I say — more fun.

Because the reward is your freedom. Until you understand how to make your money work for you, you will always work for your money.

I don’t manage your money. I don’t want to. But I do want to walk with you. We’ve created a tribe of committed stewards, people who’ve decided that retirement isn’t a finish line, but a transition — from active income to purposeful, predictable income.

And yes, you can do this in just a few years.

If this message has been tugging at the back of your mind — if you’ve felt that gnawing doubt about the “plan” others have handed you — then maybe it’s time to have a conversation.

We’ve helped people like you find a new path.

Let’s find out if there’s a place for us to walk it together. You can schedule a call with my team at freedomfounders.com/discover.

Hope to hear from you soon.