2. WHAT DOES MONEY REALLY MEAN TO YOU?
"Money isn't everything... but it ranks right up there with oxygen."
Abba has a very popular song called, "Money, money, money". The song lyrics goes like this:
"I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain’t it sad?
And still there ever seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all. I would fool around and have a ball.
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world.
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha Aha
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
It's a rich man's world"
One of the verses in the lyrics says, “All the things I could do if I had a little money.”
Do you worry about money?
Do you agree that money is important?
Do you worry about money the moment you wake up in the morning?
I believe all of us do worry about money, unless you were born with a silver spoon in a multi-billionaire family. Then perhaps you might not appreciate the importance of money. Money has become more like a second nature to you. But even so, your multi-billionaire parents still worry about money. They worry about how to pay salaries to thousands of their staff. They worry about how to have enough working capital to buy stocks or machines for the production line. They worry about whether they can sell their products and services to make a handsome profit. But at least all their worries can be solved easily with all the wealth in the business empires.
How about ordinary folks like you and me? I believe we constantly worry whether we have enough money or not.
Here are some examples of a "worry-about-money" life:
· "If you don't have enough money, you might not be able to put proper food on the table for your family. You and your family might end up skipping some meals and living in hunger.”
· “If you don't have enough money, your kids will not be given the best nutrition.”
· “If you don't have enough money, you might end up eating instant noodles, roadside nasi lemak or roti canai most of the times. You can't even afford to eat healthy, nutritious food that are required for a healthy body.”
· “If you don't have enough money, you may not have the full access to the best medicine and treatment in the world should you fall ill one day.”
· “If you don't have enough money, you may jeopardise your children's best education at top UK / US universities.”
· “If you don't have enough money, you will always live in fear, worrying that you may lose your job one day. Hence, you hang on tightly to your job even if you don't like it, and take all the work pressure and verbal abuse from your bosses.”
· “If you don't have enough money, you might be chased out by your tenant because you simply don't have enough to pay your rent."
The examples go on…
With all the worries and concerns about not having enough money, what if you have enough money, will the worries and concerns go away?
· "If you have enough money, you can sleep as late as you want, and choose not to squeeze yourself in public transport to go to office.”
· “If you have enough money, you can tell your bosses, your customers or your colleagues off if you are ill-treated in office.”
· “If you have enough money, you can spend your money more generously. Instead of buying only second hand items, you can buy more luxurious items you love first hand.”
· “If you have enough money, you can have nutritious and healthy meals every day - from salad to pasta to Mediterranean diet, etc. Or you can buy expensive organic vegetables and cook at home.
· “If you have enough money, you can spend more time with your family and friends engaging in healthy activities.”
· “If you have enough money, you can hire a nutritionist and a fitness trainer to plan out your lose weight program.”
· “If you have enough money, you can get the best doctor and the best medicine, or stay in the best hospital, should you fall sick one day.”
· “If you have enough money, you can send your kids to international schools, learn more languages and study in top universities with expensive tuition fees.”
· “If you have enough money, you can provide the best elder care for your ageing parents, give them the best comfort you can during their winter years to repay back their kindness bringing you into this world.”
· “If you have enough money, you can choose to fly in first-class flight to any exotic destinations of your choice, dine at Michelin-star fine-dining restaurants all over the world."
Believe it or not, even if you have enough money, you will still have worries and concerns. The only difference is that your worries and concerns can be more easily solved if you have money.
Therefore, if you were to ask me if money is important. Without much hesitation I would say a big yes!
Money is important in almost all aspects of our lives. And money affects the most important things in life, from health, family, education, friends, lifestyle to everything else in between.
Is money everything?
We concur that money is important. But is money everything then?
Let's make it crystal clear.
Money isn't everything.
Health is.
Would you trade your position with a dying 98 year-old multi-millionaire? Would you want to have all his money and possessions, but in exchange you will give him your health and youth? Only a stupid fool would want to forgo his health for money. But I’m sure you are smart person.
Then, is money the root of all evils? It's arbitrary.
Money on its own is neither good nor bad. It is a mean to an end. Money is simply a tool that enables you to protect yourself, to build yourself and family a better life, and to give back to society. But if you are a greedy person with ill intention, money may become the root of all evils. A person full of greed for money can ruin family and relationships, tear apart businesses, turn an otherwise good-natured person into a monster who robs a bank.
May I ask, “What does money really mean to you?”
Money means differently to different people. To most, money means security. To others, money means the ability to live a happy contented life. To some, money means the ability to help family and friends. For the adventurers, money means the ability to travel around the world. To the health-conscious lot, money means having the access to the best medical treatment in the world when needed. And to the noble few like Bill Gates of Microsoft, money means setting up meaningful charitable foundation helping millions of those in need.
How much is enough?
Remember, having millions of Malaysian Ringgit in your bank account and owning multiple properties spanning all over the world are not your ultimate goal in life.
Being stingy to yourself in this life and passing great wealth to your children is not your ultimate goal in life.
Money is just a tool.
If you don't use money for good use, it's no difference from having a bunch of wasted paper in the banks.
In the next chapter, I will share on the importance of financial independence.
SECTION 1
ABOUT FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
“When we allow our finances to control us, we give up many freedoms we value. The only way to gain those freedoms back is by taking control of our money.”
Darron Rowley
F I L L
Financial Independence, Live Life
achieving financial independence from 9-to-5 job before 50
Book manuscript written in 2020 & blog articles published in 2021 by Vincent Khor
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
