Killing Money

Killing Money

“Money is what money does” was how economist Adam Smith defined money. We have hence had many varying definitions but nothing fits the groove better than this one. It also shows what mistakes we are likely to make with money.

Many people think that if they can just attain that “ultimate” financial goal, their problems will be solved. Unfortunately, chasing money won’t bring you happiness or fulfillment. Money is fleeting. If money equalled happiness, lottery winners would be the happiest people on the planet. However studies show that lottery winners are more likely to declare bankruptcy within three to five years than the average person.

You may think that once you reach that “target” financial goal, you’ll feel like you’ve made it. Wrong. I’ve seen it again and again. Instead, you want more. It’s never enough. That’s because having money as a goal won’t fill you up—because money isn’t a destination. It’s a tool. It’s a means to buy clothes, food, cars, homes, tuition, health care, and all the other things that you may think you want or need. You look at wealthy people and think, I wish I were them. They must lead such amazing lives.

You think money will give you confidence or make you feel more complete. You believe it will bring you fame and respect. If you want money just for the sake of it, you won’t be motivated enough to deal with the challenges you will encounter on your journey. You need a strong vision, a purpose. When you have the vision and a goal, the money will eventually follow you. Doing work that doesn’t get you excited can be draining. In the end, you become a robot just going through the motions. Doing what you love allows you to be creative. It fills you up with energy. When you’re passionate about your career, you actually end up working more because it doesn’t feel like work. By chasing passion, you’ll be more fulfilled, build better relationships and still make as much (or more) money than someone chasing status and income.

How do you use the money you make also defines you. Stacking your money away in your safe locker is in fact denying the money its very purpose of existence. That is not to say that money should not be saved. You may need to save for the wet day. But there is always an upper cut off limit, beyond which it becomes a head load that weighs you down. Having millions in the bank or in your money vault does not make you any easier in mind, it makes you uneasy and living with it a feeling of fearfulness. What ought to bring a feeling of security brings unhappiness and fear.

In fact money has brought down more relations than all other causes put together. I wouldn’t say that you have never seen two people with money dealings ever being on firm friendly foot for a long time, but the chances are very meagre. The insecurity that money brings is because inherently money is supposed to be working. It should never been held idly. Idle money is the very fall of the society. When there is too much money held by individuals, and which is not in regular use, it is actually, keeping the value of the society down. Whereas every dollar, pound or rupee in use, feeding, watering, moving, curing etc. is money in action. It is when money is in action that it starts building, shaping, helping and carrying the world forward.

There are times when great causes have been left unfinished because of lack of funding. The question that keeps those with money from putting it forth is the common one, “what is in it for me?” What these people miss out is that, if something serious disrupts the social life and the good will of a society, all the money stashed away, will not carry you to the next get off point. Whereas if your money helped solve a necessary social cause, you will see that the spent money actually earns more, may or may not be in economic terms, but certainly in social terms. And as a human, that will be more paying than all the balance you have in the bank account.

More and more of the newer generation have learnt to accept this ultimate reality. Money kept in locked boxes are exactly the same as a creative person being locked up in a room with both hands and feet tied up.