MONEY MYTHS

Do you think that what stands between you and your heart’s desire is cash? Often it seems so real that we give up on our dreams, thinking we can’t afford them. I know we believe if we could just win the lottery, collect a big inheritance or win the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes, life would be different. Of course money buys us all kinds of wonderful things, but what is it ultimately we are after?

Aren’t you going for a certain quality of life? How do you want to live and have your life be? What is it that truly matters to you most? For many of us the answer is “freedom.” We want to be able to do what we want, when we want to do it.

We may think making lots of money will give us security, and ultimately that will give us the freedom we dream of. But sometimes security or possessions can actually cost us our freedom. Life can become about making more and more and
having less and less time to enjoy it.

I recently spoke to a group of lawyers. I felt a heaviness in the room, so I decided to ask how many of them were tired of being lawyers. Their hands flew up and about 90 percent said they wanted out. When I asked what was keeping them “in,” they told me they had to keep paying for their expensive toys, homes, cars and boats that they have no time to play with.

We live in a society submerged in myths about money. In her book Money Harmony, my friend Olivia Mellan lists the most common myths as “Money will buy us: happiness, love, power, freedom, self-worth and security.” She suggests we explore our most prevalent money myths and see how they influence our life and our relationships. Olivia also recommends we see which of these beliefs and attitudes need to be modified. How does money affect how you live and the choices you make?

I often hear the lament of money as a no-win scenario. If you have too little, you’re always struggling to get more, afraid there won’t be enough. On the other hand, if you have a lot of money, it’s painful because you’re always afraid you’re going to lose it. There’s never enough, and whether too much or too little, most of us never feel secure with how much we do have.