Read time: 4 min 17 sec
Money
Let’s get one thing straight about money.
It’s not the root of all evil. It’s not going to solve all your problems either. But it sure as hell beats being broke and pretending that poverty builds character.
Want more money? Become a minimalist.
I know, I know. That sounds like some Marie Kondo. But hear me out.
The fast track to financial freedom is wanting less *stuff* you don’t need. Every thing you buy becomes a thing you have to maintain, store, worry about, and eventually replace.
That exercise bike that’ll become a very expensive coat rack? Try the gym first or check facebook marketplace.
That power drill for the one shelf you need to hang? Borrow it or rent it for the day.
Remember: whatever you buy, you must also maintain. And maintenance is expensive—in money, time, and mental bandwidth.
Debt isn’t always the enemy (but accruing credit card debt usually is)
Look, some debt makes sense. Education debt that gets you skills? That’s an investment. A reliable car that gets you to work? That’s a tool.
But credit card debt for stuff you wanted but didn’t need? That’s just slavery with extra steps. You work to pay someone else for something you already consumed. It’s like being hungry because you already ate tomorrow’s dinner.
The rule is simple: if it doesn’t make you money or save you money in the long run, don’t go into debt for it.
Warren Buffett on the relationship between spending and wealth: “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”
The real power of money
Money’s greatest power doesn’t lie in its ability to buy you ubiquitous stuff. Anyone can accumulate junk.
Money can provide freedom. And with that freedom comes peace of mind. There is nothing more precious than freedom—the freedom to say no, the freedom to walk away, the freedom to choose how you spend your Tuesday afternoon.
Produce more than you consume, and save the difference. Start small. Even $20 a month adds up.
You want to help a lot of people? Get your own financial house in order first.
It’s much easier to give from a cup that’s overflowing than from a cup that’s empty. You can’t pour from an empty vessel, and you can’t help others if you’re drowning yourself.
The airline safety speech got it right: put your own oxygen mask on first.
If you become successful through hard work, resourcefulness, and ingenuity—using your own unique set of talents and abilities—don’t apologize for it.
If people around you criticize your success, find new people to be around. Find people who will celebrate your wins as you celebrate theirs.
Success isn’t a zero-sum game. Your win doesn’t require someone else’s loss.
A question for you
If you could only choose one: would you rather make twice as much money with your current spending habits, or keep your current income but cut your expenses in half?
Your answer reveals whether your path to financial freedom runs through earning more or wanting less.
Final Note (From the Future You):
You will survive the things you think will break you.
You will outgrow some of your own beliefs.
You will look back one day and thank yourself for walking through the fog anyway.
But here’s the warning label nobody puts on the brochure:
If you have to suppress any part of yourself to “succeed,” it’s not success. It’s sacrifice. And eventually, it’ll cost you everything that matters.
True success isn’t a trophy on a shelf.
It’s not a job title. Not a number in a bank account.
True success is spherical.
It touches every part of your life—your physical realm, your mental realm, your emotional realm, your relational realm, and your spiritual realm.
And the beautiful thing about your life’s journey?
You get to start walking again—any day, any hour, any moment.
You just have to choose the road that lets you bring your whole self along for the ride.
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