What is your purpose for money?

“I’ll truly be free to live my life once…”   Once what?  Nine times out of ten, “once” revolves around money.  That dreaded thing we often feel enslaved to.  But what, truly, is the purpose for money?  There is so much that money can’t buy.

We talked about gaining independence in the podcast this week, and, although it wasn’t planned, immediately the discussion went to money.  For adults, when we speak of freedom and independence, money is an immediately focus.

The Mexican Fisherman

Listen here, to the story of the Mexican Fisherman:

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”

“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part.  When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”

“Millions – then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire.  Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

What else is there to say?  Are you busting your butt for MORE when you can thrive with little?

What do you dream of?

If you did have all the money you needed, what would you dream of doing?  Does your work give you any purpose beyond a paycheck?  What lights you up?

I’ll tell you what it is for me.

I dream of hikes and bike rides with Nathan and our girls.

I long for adventure and seeing new places.

I desire time with my family to be present as we all grow together.

I want laughter and joy in our home where we live with intention and know what we’re moving toward.

And my passion is to encourage, inspire and guide other families to find their purpose for money.  Not to be a financial planner.  Not to help them with their debt.  But to remember the purpose of it all as we move back to the priority in their home.

I want to ignite the flame of love, joy and desire in couples.

I want to ease the fears, tension and stress over the weight parents choose to carry when it comes to raising their children, running a household, and bringing in an income.

I want to shine a light on how the uniqueness in each of us strengthens all of us. 

My purpose for money is not to in accumulating financial wealth, but to find the riches all around me – through family, nature, and what I can offer others. 

How much money do you truly need? What is that amount that will allow you to be like that Mexican fisherman, content in his beautiful world where he strolled with his wife and played guitar with his friends?

Don’t let your purpose for money be clouded by the quest for accumulation.