Last updated on September 14, 2023
In my Mastering Money Workshop we discuss spending, investing and earning money, but before we get to those great topics, we begin with vision. Why is that? Because I’ve learned that everything flows from vision. Everyday each one of us makes financial decisions. They may be small or they may be large. But whether we like it or not, they flow from the vision and values that we have. The problem comes when we haven’t taken time to ensure that our vision and values are actually ours and not those that culture encourages us to have.
I love this quote from Chris Mamula…
We align our money with our values to build the lives we want rather than the ones we’re “supposed” to live. This requires intentionality, doing things differently than the majority who surround you.
Chris Mamula, Choose FI
Culture is always trying to sell us on what will make us happy, but we have to make sure that we are digging deeper to uncover what is truth and what is a lie. As Chris says, it takes intentionality.
The week before my first workshop, I sent out a survey to all those who had signed up. One of the questions that I asked was “What does financial independence mean to you?” Here are some of the responses…
- Having well laid out values that drive our financial decisions. Having enough money for everything we need and some of the things we want. Having practical financial behaviors that we use routinely and that can adapt as our life changes.
- Freedom from the fear and the lack of time that financial challenges can cause. Freedom to do work that is fulfilling, and to do it on a timeline that brings me joy. Freedom to be generous.
- Knowing where and how money is spent, having funds to do things our family enjoys, living within comfortable means, ability to make financial choices in my children’s best interests, and having a comfortable amount of discretionary money.
- Feeling more free to travel, and be generous. Using money to celebrate life well.
- Relationships not being burdened with money trouble. Being able to afford to have children.
- Feeling safe and having a large margin for hospitality, travel, and including/sharing those things with others!
- Less worry when I do want to treat myself
- Being able to support myself and my family in the present and future without having to compromise too much on expenses.
- Not worried every month if we have enough.
As you can see, a question like this gets to the root desires that we have. Financial independence isn’t first and foremost about having a certain amount of money in the bank. It starts with those hopes closest to your heart. Things to buy might be a part of it, but not nearly as much as freedom, relationships and experiences.
Once we take time to clarify the vision for our life, we can then begin to develop the strategies and tactics to get us from here to there.
But it starts with vision.