A client said this to me yesterday, “Dont chase the dollar, you will only make 25 cents. Chase what that dollar can do to make a difference”. I’ve been swirling that idea around in my head ever since. That’s a tough concept to reconcile in this economy because we need money to survive and when you’ve had to “survive” instead of just live, it makes you look at money differently.
My relationship with money has always been strained. Many times I’ve been down to my last one, have borrowed from friends and loved ones and have chased the money and still ended up broke.
I’m trying to change my relationship with money and it’s not easy but once I started to shift my focus to working on myself and focusing on goals that do not pertain to money/power/success, things seem to be falling into place.
I think I grew an unhealthy mindset about money from a young age. I grew up around poor kids who stole money from me and others – a lot. Sometimes we struggled financially at home as well. I learned that life is expensive and sometimes no matter how hard you work, you still come up short – especially if something unexpected happens such as a car breaking down or a bill becomes due or an accident.
When I left home there were more financial hardships and struggles along the way. In my worst of my addict days, I was borrowing and asking for money constantly to support myself and my habit. I almost never had enough.
When you suffer from years and years of these type of behavior – whether it was self inflicted by your own choices or you are a victim of circumstance – it wears on you. It can shape how you feel about money. It can even harden you or create a level of anxiety that never seems to be quelled.
That’s been me. I’ve always struggled with this money thing. Whether i’ve had enough or not enough – it’s a constant internal struggle. I’m constantly worried about having enough money or feeling like I’ll lose it somehow when I do have it. I reflect on poor financial decisions i’ve made, things I could’ve done different and a peek at my credit score and I’m ruined some days.
But I’m trying to work on having a more healthy outlook about money. I think it starts with identifying the source and working daily on redirecting my focus. It’s about not chasing the dollar, but chasing the great things that the dollar can do.
Hint: that doesn’t involve buying stuff and things. Those things are nice, but they don’t matter in the long run. What matters are the memories you make, the lives you influence and the person you become as a side effect of that dollar you earned.
I’m aspiring for something bigger and greater than myself. I’m not focused on owning the house and the car and the picket fence. I’m focused on the pursuit of happiness and how I can help others also achieve it and live their best lives.
Let the money chase me for once. I’m ready! The dog days are over!
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