If you're reading this then hopefully you are looking for a way to take control of your own finances by completing some form of financial education program. Perhaps you have sacked your financial adviser because he's done such a crap job over the last couple of years and you reckon you can do a better job. Or maybe you're just starting off and have decided to take responsibility for your financial future at an early stage.

If so, congratulations! The path to true wealth and prosperity lies in understanding your own finances and taking control of them. The path to failure is letting others, like financial advisers, family or friends, take control of your future by managing your investments or telling you what you should be doing. Worse still, is trying to do it on your own without understanding where you are going.

To benefit from the ability to control your own finances you need initial and ongoing financial education and that is best achieved through a properly structured financial education program. It's like learning to play golf. If you have never played before, then the best way to learn is to seek a professional who will show you how to achieve that low handicap through a perfect swing. Your ongoing performance on the golf course also relies on your ongoing practice and continued support from the golf pro or other professional sources. We all know what sort of golfer a person is likely to be who has never taken a golf lesson and relies on advice from their mates when things go from bad to worse with the swing.

Financial well being is no different to playing golf. You need to learn the basics through a comprehensive financial education program. The program also needs to teach you the right mindset for achieving prosperity. Financial freedom or success can have different definitions to many people but any financial education program needs to also teach you beyond the basics and principles of how to swing a golf club.

What about when your ball goes into a bunker? Did your golf pro teach you how to get out of trouble? We all know the world of finance and investment does not run smoothly all the time. For the untrained, making financial decisions can be like not knowing what club to use on the tee or any other part of the course - because they do not know what the outcome may be. To the trained golfer you know what club to use and will be successful more often than not when you play a shot from any position.

To find the best financial education program you need it to cover the fundamental basics like budgeting, cash flows, understanding all types of investments, investment structures and understanding company reports and research papers. It also needs to teach all the advanced strategies like minimising your taxes, estate planning issues, retirement planning strategies and protecting your assets. It also needs to teach you about prosperity, financial well being and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Probably the most important aspect, just as the golfer needs constant revision and practice to keep a low handicap, you will need constant reviews and ongoing access to professionals and mentors.

Achieving financial freedom is an ongoing pursuit of knowledge and education. If you don't do it right you'll end up in the trees or someone else's forest.

There are many different levels of financial education programs out there, available online or directly through many reputable financial institutions. They all come with different price levels, expectations and outcomes. One of the best financial education programs I can recommend is the Ultimate Wealth Formula [http://www.theultimatewealthformula.com/rbourne]. It's not designed for everyone but then that depends on whether you want the perfect golf game or you're just looking to fix that nasty slice.