A thought-provoking excerpt from a Steve Chandler book caught my eye. Steve presents a different perspective on money that challenges conventional beliefs.
He invites us to consider perceiving money not as positive or negative, but rather from a neutral standpoint. Could this revolutionise our relationship with money, offering a path to genuine financial freedom?
The Burden of Beliefs
Many of us have ingrained specific beliefs about money. These beliefs, whether they paint money as the root of all evil or the key to happiness, influence our financial decisions and our relationship with wealth.
But what if we could free ourselves from their weight? What if, instead of forcing ourselves to maintain a positive outlook on money, we could simply let it be, allowing it to flow in and out of our lives without emotional attachment?
Money as a Tool
Steve uses paint as an analogy to powerfully illustrate this concept. Just as paint is a tool that can enhance our surroundings, money can be viewed simply as a resource – neutral, useful, and devoid of intrinsic emotional value.
This does not undermine the importance or utility of money in our lives but rather emphasises a shift in perception that could lead to healthier financial behaviours.
The Freedom of Neutrality
Adopting a neutral stance towards money means freeing ourselves from the constant effort of maintaining positive or negative attitudes towards it.
It means making financial decisions based on practicality and necessity, rather than emotional reactions or deep-seated beliefs.
This neutrality can lead to a more balanced and pragmatic approach to financial planning, where decisions are informed by objective assessments of needs and opportunities, rather than by the fluctuating tides of our beliefs about wealth.
Practical Financial Planning
How can we apply neutrality to financial planning? It starts with recognising money as a tool at our disposal, much like paint, to be used wisely and purposefully. Financial planning thus becomes an exercise in practicality:
- Budgeting: Just as we calculate the amount of paint needed for a room, we can plan our finances to ensure our income covers our needs, savings, and wants without emotional excess.
- Investing: Viewing money as a neutral resource allows us to make investment decisions based on rational criteria, such as risk tolerance and time horizon, rather than out of fear or greed.
- Spending: With neutrality, spending becomes a deliberate choice, not an emotional one. We spend on what adds value to our lives, just as we choose paint colours that enhance our living spaces.
Conclusion
The journey to financial neutrality is not about diminishing the role of money in our lives but about reframing our relationship with it.
By embracing the concept that money, like paint, is a useful but emotionally neutral tool, we can achieve a form of financial freedom that is both liberating and empowering.
This perspective encourages us to approach financial planning with a clear mind, free from the burdens of belief, and focused on the practical aspects of managing wealth for a fulfilling life.