I took one philosophy elective in undergrad and the one thing I remember from it was Aristotle’s answer to the question about the purpose to our existence, which is to pursue “that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else.” Happiness. Finding happiness is our goal and where does money fit in? Money can buy happiness to an extent. But once the basics are covered (ie. food, shelter, clothing, healthcare), we’re all going to keep pursuing things that provide a deeper sense of happiness that no amount of money can buy.
Carl Richards, author of “The Behavior Gap” said that “we have to decide what will make us happy and then make financial decisions that support those goals.” He suggests that before one decides on financial goals, one should figure out life goals first.
That resonates with me and it makes total sense. There’s more to my life than my financial journey. Money is a tool that can be used to pursue the ultimate goal of finding happiness.
What makes/will make you happy?
For me, what matters most is my relationship with God and the love I give to my family. Trying to manage and control finances is a good thing. We should be working on things that we have control of and plan for the future. We do it because it gives a sense of security. But I can’t rely on money in and of itself as a source of security. It could all be taken away and so where would my security lie then? In a world full of uncertainty, my real source of security comes from knowing I’m loved by God and that I have a chance of spending eternity with him. My goal is for my actions to reflect the reality that I experience in my relationship with God. And that includes matters related to finance. For example, if I were to pursue business in the future and I’m in the position where I’m able to have employees, I’m going to be mindful to provide a them with a wage that communicates to them that they are appreciated for their work and that they are valued. I will be honest with money matters no matter how small because even if it goes unnoticed by others, I know God sees it. After all, “What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his immortal soul” (Mark 8:36).
As for family, family is really important to me. I’m motivated to take control of my finances and build wealth because I want to be able to take care of my parents when they’re old. I also hope to have my own family one day and I want the family I create to experience the same kind of love I experienced in my family. When in comes to financial planning and making financial decisions I’m always going to ask if it’ll be for the good of the family. For example, do I want to spend a fortune on an extravagant wedding or keep it budget friendly and make it super special for the ones closest to me and my future husband? Will a bigger, more expensive house sustain us or will it cause us to work so much in order to pay it off? If a promotion meant working long hours away from home would I take it or would I take a pay cut in order to have more time for my family? When I’m gone, I think what matters most is for my family to remember that I loved them to the fullest while I’m alive.
In the end it’s not really about the money. It’s about my life.
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