Tool ≠ goal

Continuing from my last reflection—money is a tool, not a goal—I want to share how I think about my relationship with money.

(And to be clear—this is not financial advice.)

I see myself as the CEO of a company called my life. Money is my employees—they work for me. My job is to set direction and policy, and to hire more capable employees (money) to work for the company.

This company’s mission is simple: to live peacefully and be of value to others. We measure our performance in the amount of happiness we experience each day.

My company has three main departments:

1. Growth — responsible for creating expansion.
2. Venture — focused on seeking new opportunities and knowledge.
3. Joy — dedicated to cultivating happiness.

The rest are general departments that manage everyday operating expenses—the cost of running the company, emergency funds, and other essentials.

One of the scariest things in running the company of life is not knowing my cash flow—especially when income and expenses get mixed together. Sometimes money can trick you into thinking you have what you don’t—and that’s where ugly debt begins.

I allocate resources differently for each department depending on the season of life. The key, I believe, is to define the role of your money clearly. If money is a tool, then using the right tool for the right job will always get you closer to your goals—faster, and better.