Part 2: Choose assets over liabilities

In my last column, we looked straight into the mirror and confronted a hard truth: too many of us are decorating our lives while leaving our futures bare. The response was overwhelming. Dozens of women reached out, nodding in agreement, admitting to the “glamorous trap”, but they all ended with the exact same question:

“Coach LG, I am ready to stop feeding liabilities. But how do I actually start building assets without turning my life into a boring desert of deprivation?”

It is one thing to nod at the truth; it is another to restructure your bank account. Moving from a lifestyle of high maintenance to high net-worth does not require a financial miracle. It requires a strategy.

If Part 1 was about changing your mindset, Part 2 is your blueprint for execution. Here is how we transition from merely looking wealthy to actually becoming wealthy.

1. Automate your assets, audit your liabilities

If you wait until the end of the month to invest what is “left over”, you will never build wealth. There is never anything left over. The secret of women who build quiet stability is that they pay their future self first.

The Action: Set up an automatic debit on your salary or business revenue account. Before you see the money to buy that fabric or book that weekend getaway, a percentage should automatically slip into a money market fund, treasury bills, or a dedicated investment account.

The Audit: Look at your bank statements from the last three months. Highlight every expense that did not bring a return or protect your peace. You don’t need to cut them all out, but you must bring them under control.

2. Start with “Boring” certainty before “Exciting” risks

When women decide to invest, they often get lured into high-risk, glamorous schemes that promise quick returns. True wealth building is a slow marathon, not a sprint.

Before you jump into complex business ventures or highly volatile markets, secure your foundation. In our current economic climate, you need instruments that offer liquidity and capital preservation.

The Foundation: Look toward low-risk, interest-yielding assets. Capitalise on treasury bills, mutual funds, or stable cooperative investments.

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The Upgrade: Once your foundation is solid, you can diversify into high-earning assets like real estate (even if you start with fractional property investing or land banking in developing areas) and equities.

3. Build a “Freedom Fund” (Beyond the Emergency Fund)

We traditionally talk about emergency funds to cover medical bills or car repairs. But as women, we need a Freedom Fund.

This is the asset that gives you the power to say “No.” It is the money that ensures you never have to stay in a toxic workplace because you are one paycheck away from poverty. It ensures you don’t stay in a broken relationship because you cannot afford rent. It means that if a brilliant business opportunity presents itself, you have the capital to pivot.

True softness isn’t just a spa day; it’s the psychological comfort of knowing you are financially bulletproof.

4. Invest in your greatest asset: Earning capacity

An asset is anything that increases your cash flow. Sometimes, the best asset you can buy isn’t a piece of land; it is a piece of paper or a new skill.

If you are an entrepreneur, investing in structured business development services or automating your processes to remove “tech-stress” is an asset. If you are a professional, scaling your skill set through certifications (like a PMP or specialized industry badges) increases your market value. When you increase your capacity to earn, you automatically increase your capacity to invest.

The Reality Shift: Redefining “Soft Life”

We have been sold a superficial version of the “soft life”—one that requires heavy makeup, designer logos, and constant validation on digital grids. But let’s redefine it today.

Fake soft life: driving a car whose maintenance bill gives you a panic attack every three months.

Real soft life: Walking into a room knowing your investment portfolio is quietly compounding while you sleep.

Fake Soft Life: Buying the most expensive aso-ebi to look uniform with people who will not contribute a dime when your rent is due.

Real Soft Life: Having the financial dignity to write a cheque for your child’s tuition months before the resumption date, without calling five people for a loan.

The transition from decoration to construction will require you to get comfortable with being misunderstood. People might notice you are wearing the same jewelry or driving the same car for a few years. Let them. Your goal is not to look rich to the public; your goal is to be wealthy in private.

The next step

Tomorrow morning, the world will resume its marketing campaign, tempting you to trade your long-term freedom for a short-term dopamine hit.

The next time you are about to click “purchase” or transfer funds for something that only shines but cannot grow, take a deep breath. Remember that every naira is a seed. You can either eat the seed for temporary sweetness or plant it for permanent shade.

Choose the shade. Choose the options. Choose your freedom.