“Abundance will never be a factor of how much money one has. Rather, it is always a factor of how one feels about what money one does have.”
That quote is from a fun book titled The Trick to Money is Having Some, by Stuart Wilde. He was a new age, spiritual writer and teacher. I have always enjoyed the good humor and perspective he brings to the subject of money… and to life in general.
I like money. I think I always have. Not because I like to buy stuff. For me, having money in the bank creates a feeling of freedom. It provides options. It provides the “dry powder” to invest in companies. It provides a cushion against problems and setbacks.
When you don’t have much money, and/or you are not making much money, it is hard to believe Wilde’s point that it matters more how you feel about money rather than how much money you actually have or earn.
But I believe there is a lot of truth in what he says. I have been through times in life where I had very little money. I have been through times where I had a good bit of money. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of earning, and having money, but I am also a bit of a worry-wart. And worries still seem to be there even when I have a healthy net worth and a nice cash balance.
This quote from the book is super-important:
“There is no amount of money in the world that will make you comfortable if you are not comfortable with yourself.”
Money helps create opportunities... and solve certain problems. But by itself, it doesn't bring you acceptance and peace of mind. It can help a little. But learning to accept myself as I am here and now, and recognizing that all is well just the way it is, is what seems to matter most to my happiness and peace of mind.
This quote from the book speaks to the need to think about what money means to you in your life:
You will have to have money. How much money depends on what you intend to do with your life and on the various aspects of your personality.
But basically, you need enough cash so that life is not a pain in the neck. At what financial level you cross the pain-in-the-neck line depends on you. To some, the pain-in-the-neck line rests at $1,000 a week. For others, nothing less than $10,000 a month will do. For some, $1,000,000 a year is a tight squeeze.
The name of the game is to simplify your life to such an extent that the pain-in-the-neck line is reduced so that your emotions around money rest in a constant state of comfort and balance.
I have found it helpful to spend some time thinking about how much money is enough for me so that I don't need to worry about money. Not so that I can quit earning and investing money. Just the thought of not working and investing is horrifying for me. 😊 But to help make sure I remind myself “to breathe”, to "relax and enjoy" (as my wife is fond of saying).
I need to frequently remind myself not to get caught up in the cycle of always thinking about making more money. Or becoming overly focused on increasing my net worth. It is important to value and appreciate and be thankful for what I have. I need to remind myself to “feel good” about where I am.
Here is a quote about what he describes as the “game” we all play with money:
By the time you reach the end of this book, I hope you will agree that the acquisition of money is not a serious business; it’s a game that you play. At first it may seem that it is a game that you play with forces outside of yourself – the economies of the marketplace, so to speak – but as you proceed, you discover that it is actually a game you play with yourself.
How you play that game affects the quality of your life and determines the extent to which you can liberate yourself.”