29) Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But It Can Help Make the Down Payment
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can help make the down payment.” ~Jack Saad
Jack Saad is one of my all-time favorite teachers. While much of his teaching fell on deaf teenage ears, miraculously, he sometimes got even the dimmest high school students to ponder the subtitles of historical events and modern social issues. One of the most important lessons he taught us is the power of money. Like all tools, he said:
- It can be used for good or evil (all too often for the latter as history shows)
- There are other tools that can be used in its place (time, influence, relationships, etc.)
- It can be used deftly for greater effect (e.g. investing in the right things at the right time, buying high quality products that last a long time, etc.) or sloppily for minimal effect (e.g. foolish investments, buying expensive junk you don’t need, or being penny wise, pound poor).
These lessons have come in handy as I’ve jumped around the wealth spectrum. When money has been more plentiful, I realized that I can save a lot of time and energy through buying the right tools and paying others to do things I’m not good at or don’t enjoy. But I realized, too, that most of the real challenges in my life could not be spent away. No number of zeros in my bank account could buy me a “satisfied mind” as the late great Johnny Cash sang.
And speaking of “losing every dime”, it’s not nearly as scary as most people believe. I’ve been completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) penniless a few times now, and to be honest, it wasn’t that bad. I no longer fear scarcity. On the contrary, being broke has taught me to appreciate what truly matters in life, and make better financial decisions when I do have the dinero.
Next: 30) It’s Never Worth Sacrificing Your Health or Happiness for Pay Return to the List
