Principle #9: Make a Life, Not Just a Living
Money is not the root of all evil. What the Bible says is "the love of money is the root of all evil." It's one thing to keep in mind when we deal with the subject of money.
Money is a tool, a means to an end. If it becomes the end in itself, then we should ask ourselves about what really matters.
Unfortunately, for some people, rich or poor (yes, even the poor), the pursuit of wealth for its sake has become their philosophy and lifestyle.
And for many people, including you and me, making money has often stood in the way of enjoying our lives. It's quite ironic: we work hard to make money to pay for things that make us and our family happy. But we end up neglecting the important things in life, like quality time with our loved ones or simply enjoying the little things.
Surely, many good things in life are free. And we should invest our time and effort in them. But there are also some good things in life that we spend for, and ought to invest in. Let's not just spend for material things that we accumulate or for necessary living expenses. Let's also spend for things that help us enjoy life more. There are three I recommend.
Recreation
Part of enjoying life is recreation. Is recreation part of our lifestyle? Or is the one-week holiday abroad too much to handle when we're always worrying about the work we left back home?
It's good to work to pay for a house, groceries, travel, cars, tuition, gadgets, clothes, and all those mundane things. But you should include recreation in the things you spend for. That includes sports and hobbies that you enjoy and enrich your life.
Education
Education is also part of enriching your life. That means continuing education classes, seminars, workshops, books, magazines, and traveling. Do you invest in your education? Learning continuously is a great way to live our lives.
Avocation
And then there's our avocation. Is there something you like to do off hours? There are things that we spend time, effort, and even money on, even if don't get anything concrete in return, just a sense of fulfilment.
For me, Money Minute and promoting financial literacy is my avocation. I enjoy writing and teaching and learning. That's a reward in itself. There are also other things I want to pursue in the future. What's yours?
Whatever it is, it's okay to spend for things that give you satisfaction. And the point is, it doesn't have to be (and should be) just material things. Recreation, education, and avocation that enrich your life are often more long term or more deeply satisfying.
