Being the recipient of quite a bit of privilege growing up, I am aware of the fact that it seems easier to pursue a sense of purpose and build climbs around that purpose if you are financially well-off. In fact, I often hear this argument (almost always from high-earning professionals for some reason) whenever I give a talk about the connection between purpose and happiness. Here is my answer.
Yes, money is a tool that helps us do the things we want in life including building purpose. But, it is also one of many tools. For some reason, we place all our eggs in this basket and forget there are many other basket to choose from. What are the other tools in our tool belt? There are many: time, energy, passion, skills, relationships, community, and even our love.
Even if we find ourselves in a condition where we have a paucity of money, those other tools are always there for us. Maybe you are young and have no family or mortgage yet. If you find yourself drowning in a 9-5, maybe you can use your energy on the weekends to do something purposeful. Possibly that thing creates a little cashflow and brings some margin to your life. You have used the tool of energy and time.
Have you ever used the tool of family? This could mean moving in with your parents when times get tough in order to save more money or work less. How about your passions and skills. Do you love making jewelry out of simple beads or crocheting? Maybe that could be your source of purpose and maybe you could sell some creations on Etsy.
Money is a great tool but its absence doesn’t necessarily mean that pursuing purpose is lost. Can you subtract out what you don’t love in your life? Can you use your other tools to add in something you do love? And if all is lost, can you substitute a bad situation for a slightly better one? Can you switch employers, switch bosses, or switch careers.
In a perfect world we would all come to the purpose conversation with plenty of money and a clear vision of what to do next. Reality, however, is that only a small number of people will start here. Using a lack of funds as a reason to delay purpose, in my opinion, is a losing game.
You may spend your whole life playing the “once I have” game. A game, which often, we are always about to win but we never quite get there.
Don’t wait till you are old and haggard to finally give yourself permission to pursue that which lights you up.
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Path to Purpose Coaching
Over the last year, writing my new book The Purpose Code, I have spent a huge amount of time thinking about, writing about, and discussing purpose. I have offered one-on-one and group coaching to my mastermind group, Wealth With Purpose. These discussions stem from my real life encounters with dying hospice patients as well as the numerous interactions I have had with people after reading Taking Stock.
What I've found is that most of us who listen to the Earn & Invest Podcast struggle with three basic issues:
How do I define purpose in my life?
How do I transition to a more fulfilling career?
What is enough money look like? Enough life?
To help navigate these waters, I have decided to offer the Path to Purpose coaching program. This is one-on-one coaching with me to help you further define purpose, direction, and career. Sessions will be spread over five weeks with a goal to provide a more concrete and enjoyable path to crack the purpose code and start living your life now whether you are broke, pre financial independence, financially independent, or beyond.
https://www.earnandinvest.com/coaching