Sahayak Gurukul: Is Money Really Important?

“Wealth is not about having a lot of money, but having a lot of options.”

“Money does not buy happiness.”How many times have you heard this? Lots of times, I am willing to bet.

Our culture sends us two very conflicting messages about money. The first, a message that tells us money is everything. Celebrity culture, the rich and famous, Dalal Street greed, the twinge of jealousy we feel when we see a house bigger than ours, or a better car.

Then, there’s the completely opposite message, the one that treats wealth – and the wealthy – with suspicion, that works hard to teach us not to envy them, to see the limitations that wealth has and the potential trouble it can cause. In some families, it gets to the point of feeling that money is somehow dirty, that it’s not a proper topic for conversation, that flaunting what you’ve got is tacky and that being poor is almost a virtue.

Is Money really Important?

I feel that dismissing money as unnecessary is a mistake?

It’s Not Having What You Want. It’s Wanting What You’ve Got.

Most negative beliefs about money come from and are propagated by those who don't have it or have lost it.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants” is one of my favorite quotes. Having few wants is probably the best insurance against greed, because it’s human nature to keep wanting more, and the more you have, the more you want.

It’s a simple psychological process: you have the basics (shelter, food, clothes) and are fairly happy, although you do worry about dealing with emergency situations; you become wealthier, and you enjoy the extra luxuries very much for a few months, but then it becomes your new “normal.” Now, surrounded by wealthier people, you look around, and you feel unhappy. They have more than you. You want more, but when you get more, you’re unhappy again. It’s a never-ending cycle.

Another quote that I like: “Money on its own is neither good nor bad. It is a means to an end.”

Again, this is not to say that money is not important. It is to say that money is not “dirty,” but money is also not everything. Money is a tool that enables you to protect yourself, to build yourself and your family a better life, and to give back to your community. Money is an Important Tool.

Money is important because having money means that you will not be destitute. It means that you are not dependent on being employed, living paycheck to paycheck and having to put up with abuse by your boss because you badly need your job.

Money is important because it enables you to have more control over your life, more freedom to carve out your own path and less constraints on your choices.

How many of us are stuck in a career or in a job we hate, but cannot afford to lose, because losing our job would mean losing our house and all the things we are used to.

I know of so many brilliant people with a bright future who had to give up their dreams, forget about college and start working as a clerk in the first available job because their parents were poor and needed support.

It’s always a sad story of an unrealized potential, and the only reason they don’t realize their potential is because parents are poor and they can’t afford to pursue their goals and dreams.

Money is important because it means being able to give your children the best – the best education, the best health care, the best start in life. Of course, when it comes to kids, money can also greatly spoil them, so it’s up to parents to find a way to give their kids the best, while still teaching them the value of money and not giving them so much excess that their view on life is forever skewed.

Money is important because it means less financial worries. Sure, the wealthy worry too – they worry about losing their fortune or getting richer. But this is not the same as worrying about being able to put food on the table.

Money is important because it enables you to give back to your community, to pick the charities and causes you believe in and support them.

Money is important because having money means that life is not a constant effort at keeping your head above the water. Having money enables you to live life to the fullest, enjoy adventures and textures and tastes, make the most of the ~80 years you’ve got.

Money buys you a more comfortable lifestyle – but is that such a bad thing? Humans are hardwired to seek warmth, safety and comfort, and having money is a great way to get those.

Hence, Create wealth for the financial independence it gives you, for the freedom it gives you to follow your passion, to do what your heart desires, to face the world of uncertainty in this era of disruptions and change, and also to leave a legacy or contribute to society.

Hence, we come back to agree to the original statement , “Money is not the most important thing in life” but, “Make sure you have enough of it before you make that statement.”

Money is not everything, but money is something very important.

Beyond the basic needs, money helps us achieve our life's goals and supports — the things we care about most deeply — family, education, health care, charity, adventure and fun. It helps us get some of life's intangibles — freedom or independence, the opportunity to make the most of our skills and talents, the ability to choose our own course in life, financial security.

With money, much good can be done and much unnecessary suffering avoided or eliminated.

The famous couplet from Saint Rahim just reinforces the above point.

Money is important, Consult your financial advisor today, make your financial plan, start investing and create your corpus to meet all your money goals.

( Kindly also check our earlier Blog on the subject, ”Wealth is Evil” https://sahayakgurukul.blogspot.com/2018/10/wealth-is-evil.html)

Happy Investing!

Stay Blessed Forever!

Sandeep Sahni