Man made the money, but money never made the man
If you haven’t noticed…
…you can’t avoid the need for money in this world.
We can kick, scream, and cry - but the fact remains:
You need money in this world.
But, the worst mistake you can make is putting it on a pedestal.
“Man made the money, money never made the man”
- Loungin by LL COOL J
Currency itself is made up - at least in the United States ours is.
Backed by nothing other than our mutual agreement of it’s worth…
…and worshipped by people like a god.
It isn’t.
Money is energy.
In this world it has the same power as life energy.
Think I’m wrong? What do you give most of your time to?
Making money.
What is your time worth… or better yet what is your life worth?
It’s priceless.
Would you willingly die tomorrow if I gave you $10,000,000 today?
No, you wouldn’t.
Your life is worth more than that.
“
Money’s greatest intrinsic value, and this can’t be overstated, is its ability to give you control over your time. Spending money to show people how much money you have is the fastest way to have less money. But using money to gain control over your time, to do what you want, when you want, with who you want, for as long as you want to, is priceless. It is the highest dividend that exists in finance.
— The Psychology of Money
Money = Time (Life Energy).
It buys us back our ability to live freely in the system.
The matrix.
Think about it: if you had infinite money…
- What would you not have to do anymore?
- What would you spend your time on?
- How would you live your life?
So it’s safe to say that freeing yourself financially is a non-negotiable.
Otherwise, you’ll end up at the end of your life with regret.
- “Why did I spend so much time chasing money instead of living?”
- “I wish I would’ve…”
- “I should’ve…”
The funny part is - you can’t really live fully without money.
Everything has a paywall.
I can’t travel without money. Supplies cost money.
Shit with inflation MONEY COSTS MONEY. 😂
It’s insane.
Today I want to share with you my favorite lessons I’ve learned about money…
…having earned over $1,000,000 by 25, losing everything already once, and rebuilding it back:
I’ve learned a lot!
My top 3 lessons on money
1) More money isn't the solution... but it's the problem
Making more money doesn’t magically fix our problems.
But, not having enough of it is the problem.
Let me explain.
First, if you think “If only I made more money”, I’ve got bad news.
Your current money habits will still exist, but they’ll be exponential.
If you can’t manage cents, you will never manage dollars.
Lifestyle creep and impulse purchases are the core issue in 90% of households.
Making more money leads to upgrading the lifestyle…
…which increases expenses and the desire to purchase more things.
Now instead of living paycheck to paycheck on $8,000 /month, it’s $30,000 /month.
Which is way more stressful (speaking from experience).
I wasn’t buying luxury cars, or clothes - I invested in my education and experiences - and still ended up overdoing it.
Second, you need more money - there is no nobility in poverty.
It wouldn’t be interesting without a contradiction.
I firmly believe that you deserve and need more money.
Because I believe you deserve to live with freedom and abundance - not because I give a shit about “money” itself.
Money doesn’t solve your problems, but it solves all the problems money can solve which are endless.
- Buying back your time - housecleaning, car detail, and lawn care.
- Giving back - donation involving your money and time.
- Improving your health - better food, and consumables.
These are only a few examples.
Takeaway: Earn as much money as you can, and live below your means.
2) You can make money following your dreams
For years I've had people doubt me:
"You won't make any money doing that."
"I'll be here waiting when you come back with your tail between your legs."
"That's to risky."
I never have, and never will fit the mold.
I will always follow my dreams, and the voice inside.
At first it was ditching my low hourly job for sales.
And then it was ditching my sales job to become self employed.
Next it was leaving behind my $200-250k/year income to run retreats and work with clients.
Each time it was terrifying. It still is.
But it's possible - and when you bet on yourself with no plan b...
...the whole universe will conspire to support you.
Takeaway: Stop settling for security - start being the leader and creator God made you to be.
3) Without a plan you will be poor
Failing to plan, is planning to fail as they say.
After learning the hard way here is what I’d recommend to my past self in hindsight:
- Save a percentage (%) of your income no matter what. Use it to build 3-6 months in savings, and then invest any extra into income producing assets.
- Pay off credit cards every 1-2 weeks. Avoid paying any interest or using for things you don’t have cash on hand for.
- Invest most of your income into yourself. Stack skills, connections, and experiences that unlock your talents, wisdom, and abilities.
- Live below your means. It doesn’t matter if it’s $10k or $50k /month. Live like your broke so you can become wealthy. Think long term.
Takeaway: Make a simple plan, and stick to it.
My gift to you
If you enjoyed this letter - grab this free personal finance guide I put together.
It has lessons like I shared here, and more tactical advice to help you begin creating financial freedom.
