UR$ 1.06

1.06 Money is only an Idea

What do you think about money?

No, I mean really- what ideas do you hold about money?

How do you feel when you think about “having money"?

Is money power or poison in your experience?

Does money do a good service to the world or keep it divided?

Should everyone in the household make money or should there be only one main provider?

Ask yourself these questions and explore what emotions or memories come up because chances are you never have.

Do you assume that everyone thinks of money as your family did like when you were growing up?

Is questioning money a defiant act in your circle?

How do the people around you treat people when they have money? When they need money?

I hope you are beginning to see that handling your checking account is so much more than just checking the balance before a purchase.

If you don’t know what you are building, if you don’t know how you will build it, and you don’t even know why you want money….. then you’re never gonna get large amounts of money and keep it.

Money is an idea. It’s like “class", “respect", “integrity"….abstract ideas that each person must define for themselves. 

One person considers daily, hourly calls to be “love" while another person considers not being bothered at work the idea of “love".

So what is your idea of “enough" money?

“Too much" money?

“Not worth the effort" money?

These are ideas that are unique to you and can’t be outlines in a Self Finances book.

Do you want to have free time or are you happiest when you devote 50 hours a week to a company? Only you know the truth for your own happiness.

I have witnessed too many times when couples get together and never talk about their ideas of money. They assume that because they are physically attracted to one another that the money “stuff" will just not be an issue.

But, of course, it always becomes an issue at some point.

Do you value birthday gifts over an emergency savings fund?

Is getting a massage every month more important than a monthly “date night"?

Should the dogs get gourmet food before the kids do?

These are all linked to your idea of money and what you are trying to build with it.

There is a popular buzzword “FIRE" that stands for Financially Independent Retired Early. And this is a very common topic in such groups- “How do you date during FIRE?”

Everyone expects games during a date. And most people assume millionaires should lie about their net worth until they find someone who cares about them more than their money.

But what about if you have your car paid off and your house almost paid off and haven’t purchased a new pair of jeans in 2 years? Do you put on your dating profile “I never eat out, don’t drive a fancy car, give a stock share for birthday gifts, and enjoy long walks to save gas"?

Money is an idea. Just like “soulmate", “freedom", and “community”. Before you can see what someone else values in life…you must know what you value.

Knowing what you value and then expressing that value through your habits and your standards is healthy.

Every self made billionaire built different paths for themselves. Thankfully we do not have to accumulate billions to live an abundant life.

So start asking yourself what financial abundance on your unique journey would mean.

And if you find you hold unhealthy, toxic, outdated, or unnecessary ideas about money….change your mind.

As children we adapted the implied beliefs of those around us, never realizing that we were witnessing them growing up too. It’s OK to question.

It is ok to change and to try new beliefs.

Money is only an idea in your head. You are in control.

It costs zero money to change your mindset.