Money is the invented history of Man that more influences him. And it has always done so because money is an invention, which has very ancient roots and which accompanies everyone’s daily life from birth. In this article I want to reflect on the possible evolution of the relationship with money, obviously starting from my experience. Because most of us leave and remain all our lives in a state where money is a Tool for Survival and only some people can evolve and achieve Freedom or even transform Money into Power to influence lives for the better. life of others. But let’s go in order.
When you have some money in your checking account, you inevitably set yourself some goals.
The first temptations are more material and the first goals we set ourselves are typically a vacation, the purchase of a car, or more simply the latest model of smartphone.
As we mature, we set ourselves more structured and medium-term objectives.
Buy a house, let your children study, and maybe live a peaceful retirement.
All legitimate goals, but only a few manage to go beyond material goals and ask questions about money and their relationship with them.
Many, even when they reach a substantial patrimony, remain anchored to the measurement of their wealth and only rarely reflect on the possible variations of money.
Even the classic distinction between Security, Independence, and Financial Freedom focuses on material aspects and instead misses what money can give us in terms of choices in our life.
On the other hand, understanding the meaning of the accumulation of money and living the relationship with money by guiding the process and not undergoing it, will instead put you at least in the Fuck You Position.
If you don’t know what Fuck You Position is, watch the clip from the movie The Gambler in which bookmaker Frank explains to bettor Bennet what to do with 2.5 million dollars and how to finally reach the position to answer Fuck you to anyone who forces him to. do what he doesn’t want to do.
But in this article you will discover that there is a state superior to Financial Freedom as evidenced by the article Money is the Megaphone of Identity, written by Lawrence Yeo an American illustrator, author of the blog More to that.
And in this article I want to borrow from Lawrence Yeo the Money Spectrum, that is, how it can change our vision of money along the course of our existence.
And I want to show you that the perception of money can go from Survival to Power, passing from Freedom.
In this article
- Phase 1 – Survival
- Phase 2 – Freedom
- Phase 3 – The Power
- What stage am I at?
Phase 1 – Survival
When the only function of money is to be able to afford to meet the basic needs of your life, you are in the position of Survival.
Unfortunately, many people find themselves in this condition dramatically since, even in Italy, absolute poverty affects 6.4% of families.
But not only destitute people look to money as a means of survival.
For many, money remains the means of meeting daily needs throughout their lives.
I too, in more than one phase of my financial growth, have fought to align my accounts and be able to pay my bills at the end of the month.
I think it is the most frequent situation, at least not having received important figures as a donation from their family of origin.
Needing the money to survive and seeing work as the only way to ensure subsistence is particularly limiting.
It doesn’t matter how much you hate your job and how terrible the working conditions can be.
As long as working guarantees you a fixed income, you will be dominated by the work and ready to accept anything.
However, if you start saving and building a small fund, your security will increase and you will begin to see the boundaries towards the second phase.
Having a fortune and an account not in constant red will allow you to have a certain sense of security.
The fear of falling back into poverty or difficulties will not completely disappear.
A market crisis, job loss, or any momentary problem could be enough to bring you back into insecurity.
The higher your insecurity, the more you will be afraid of changing the existing.
You will watch with fear the search for a new job, the move to a new location, and the new experiences.
As your economic security grows, you will instead begin to see money embodied in the concept of Freedom.
Phase 2 – Freedom
How many times during the holidays have I thought that I would never want to go back to my everyday life.
I never kept faith with that firm intention of mine and over time I got used to thinking that money and daily effort allow me to buy days of freedom every year.
However, if you live your job as a trap, you will never be able to get enough rewards to spend a full year working.
Even the three weeks of relative serenity will not be enough to reward a year of suffering.
And it will certainly not be the pension that will pay off a life of sacrifice.
Once you have accumulated some money, you should therefore try to buy some Freedom not in the form of entertainment and leisure, but of time and possibility.
Assets can put you in the famous Fuck you position where you can look for a job not for the money, but for the fulfillment it gives you.
The ideal situation is one where you realize that you are not working for retirement, but for things that you would take time to do even if you weren’t paid.
Reaching this position is not trivial, because it assumes that you have a solid foundation to satisfy your basic needs and that you have found something that satisfies you.
Lowering your basic needs will help you a lot in the process and that is why many decide to naturally lead a frugal existence.
Reducing the need to fill life with material objects will allow you to amplify your sense of Freedom and no longer focus on Money.
Once you reach the apex of the Freedom Phase you can take care of what you like and you will finally be satisfied.
Inevitably at some point, you will want to use your money to improve the life of your family and community.
And here we are at phase three of the vision of money.
Phase 3 – The Power
When the security provided by money makes it possible for you to be disinterested in its consistency, you will enter a new phase of your vision of money.
At this stage, money will be the way to improve the world or otherwise influence it.
Money will therefore give you the Power to first change the world of those around you, of your extended family, and then to influence the development of the community in which you live and for very few of the whole world.
This phase is not reached by everyone, but it is true that with age it comes naturally for many to start thinking about something that goes beyond themselves and their needs.
It is also a very delicate phase and often questioned by those around you, who judge with distrust those who care about others.
However, it is rewarding and that is why it can be a natural goal for many.
However, not knowing what it implies, I would say that I can postpone my reflection on this phase to a future article.
What stage am I at?
If you’ve gotten to the bottom of this article, you’ve probably already identified what stage you’re at.
I wish you have already reached your Freedom in which it is not said that you have a salary and a crazy fortune.
A capital aside and the certainty of having chosen a path that first of all gives you satisfaction to be Free are enough.
Financial Freedom is, in fact, a state of mind rather than a mathematical formula and for this, I really like Lawrence Yeo’s approach.
I think I am between phase 1 and phase 2 and that a few more years and some mental steps are needed to start seeing money as a means to conquer a greater degree of Freedom every day to be transformed into the power to change. for the better the life (at least) of those around me.
Let me know in the comments what stage you are in and if you liked this article and maybe helped you reflect.