Money Is Just A Tool

Money is just a tool, it’s not the end goal. A high net worth is meaningless without fulfilling work and a balanced lifestyle.

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I realized money is just a tool through a self-funded personal development year off work in 2016. 

The entire year off was spent blogging, investing, and travelling. I did whatever the hell I wanted, to be honest.

In turn, I realized what matters most: fulfilling work, balance, and time.

Related post: Ultimate Reflections on Mini-Retirement

Money is just a Tool: Balancing Time and Money during my Year Off

You would think that going from a salary to being self-employed would call for even more frugality, but in fact, it led to carelessness with money.

I originally expected to have an even more guarded approach to managing money after submitting my resignation notice.

I even created a spreadsheet prior to quitting to determine how long I could last without any income or job at all.

Maybe I was being naive, but I anticipated that the luxuries of life would pale in comparison to the thrill of taking a year off.

And just as expected, I was right. 

But it also caused me to realize money is not the end goal.

Money is not the end goal – a net worth goal will not lead to happiness.

Let’s say your long term net worth goal is $2 million. 

So, over the next 25 years you save and invest to reach that goal.

Then one day, after a bullish stock market rally, you find that your portfolio hit your $2 million goal. 

Is your life any different at all?

You might be able to stare at the figure for a few moments in excitement.

But just like a new car smell, the feeling of excitement from hitting your money target fades away. 

Therefore, money is not the key to happiness. It’s a tool to achieve happiness. 

It’s fulfilling work and a balanced lifestyle provided by money that leads to happiness. 

Money is just a Tool to achieve the Lifestyle you want

I can’t believe it took me 30 years of life to finally figure that out!  Money is just a tool and life is meant to luxuriate in.

All the FI seekers out there know what I’m talking about.

It’s far better to earn less, but do fulfilling work, than it is to earn a lot at the expense of a job that crushes your soul.

I mean really…What good is money in the bank when you don’t have time to enjoy it?

What good does money do when you spend roughly half your life doing something you don’t enjoy?

Why turn into a defeated, unimaginative deadbeat, just so you can show off to the neighbours down the street?

Ultimately, the only reason to save and invest money is to achieve the lifestyle you want. It’s not about the numbers.

The best reason to chase Money: Fulfilling Work and a Balanced Lifestyle

I am fortunate because happiness and money are related. I gain happiness through the challenge of building an online business and growing my dividend income updates.

It will take years of patience and masterplanning to reach financial independence through blogging and dividend investing. But that challenge along with the process of breaking it down into steps appeals to me. In turn, I’m motivated to pay myself first.

I am not chasing money to brag to my friends or to show how rich I am on Instagram. It’s not because I want status. And it’s not because I want a fancy lifestyle either. 

The reason I pursue wealth is to achieve a more flexible, balanced lifestyle with more fulfilling work. I am just using money to get what I want.

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My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time. – Steve Jobs

Concluding Thoughts

Time on this planet is limited, so why not pursue something meaningful? 

Time is our most valuable currency. That’s a fact.

Hence why it’s important to have a meaningful reason behind the pursuit of money.

If you are pursuing money for status or net worth without a purpose, just know that your goal may be an unfulfilling, fleeting moment that accomplishes nothing.

But if you use money as a tool to design the lifestyle you want instead, you put yourself in position to spend more time exactly how you want. A more balanced lifestyle with fulfilling work may await you!

Now I’d like to hear from you:

Do you agree that money is just a tool? Do you have a different perspective on money?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or on social media.

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I am not a licensed investment or tax adviser. All opinions are my own. This post may contain advertisements by Monumetric and Google Adsense. This post may also contains internal links, affiliate links to BizBudding, Amazon, Bluehost, and Questrade, links to trusted external sites, and links to RTC social media accounts.

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