Attitudes About Money

It seems like the people with the most realistic and relaxed attitude about money tend to have an abundance of it.

Those who claim to hate money and eschew materialism entirely tend to be greedy, even conniving.

Those who think about money all the time and focus on getting more of it tend to be stressed and stingy.

Those who ignore money and go about life without thinking of it at all tend to have responsibility issues that plague them and create inconvenience for everyone around them.

The people who understand money, do not fear it, do not love it, but see it as a tool, a thing that can ebb and flow, that can make some things easier and other things harder, seem to be those who are never in want of money nor ruled by it.

They part with it easily, but also understand the value of what they are parting with. They save it easily, but also understand the opportunity cost of saving.

They may or may not enjoy investing and other financial activities; that does not seem to be essential. But they always have a sense of stewardship. Like they have a responsibility to ensure money is always the servant, never the master, but to be a good master and not a tyrant demanding more from money.

This often bleeds into other aspects of a person’s character. A healthy relationship with money tends to cultivate (but by no means guarantees) wisdom and discretion elsewhere.