Sunday, February 21, 2021

The Means of Money


The subject of money is a familiar one. And money, as simple as it sounds, has different meanings to different people, especially with their perceptions and mindsets. However, apart from the general knowledge about money and how it's used, including- buying food in the market, paying bills, buying luxuries, and purchasing investments, there are couple of other things that must be understood about money, especially in practical aspect. The origin of money made us to understand that money is a medium of exchange as well as a means. In other words, it is an item that is used to get things done. If you want to communicate with people at distance, you need a phone. To get a phone, you need money. So, to achieve the end which is communication, you need money which is a means to get a phone. Consider another scenario, if you want to become a doctor or an engineer. You need to go to school. To go to school, you need to pay school fees. So, to achieve the end which is becoming a doctor or an engineer, you need money. 

In all of the transactions that we’ve made with money, one thing is exemplified, means. Money is a means. Now, let’s consider another perspective to this phrase, the means of money. What is the means of money? Let’s define what a means is. A means is something that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end. So, when we talk about the means of money, we’re talking about how we use money to get things done. This gives a broader perspective to how money is used and can be used to achieve our goals. You would be shocked that up until now, we’ve still not known all that money can do for us. Apart from the common functions of money that I mentioned earlier, there are still more about money. 

The means of money make us understand the inherent power money has to get things done. This may not be all things, but at least, most things. And in fact, money does influence all things. The first means of money is to satisfy our desires. Every one of us has desires. And we always crave for our desires to be achieved. Money is a means to satisfy our desires. If you’ve been longing to buy that nice dress, or go for that beautiful vacation, or give some helping hand to people who are in need, here is the means of getting those things done- money. Money satisfies your desires. People who have money are happy, because they know, it satisfies their desires. Having our desires satisfied is one of the things that makes us happy in life. Have you noticed the times when your desires were satisfied how you felt? I’m sure that’s the feeling you would always want to have. So, people who say money doesn’t make you happy are just giving excuse for not having money. Because there’s a happiness you feel when you have money, not to talk of when you use it, and then, in the right way. Money would make you happy a million times. Someone said if money doesn’t make you happy, you can try poverty. But we know one is better than the other. And one makes you happier than the other. 

The second means of money is that it makes you fulfill your dreams and purpose. Do you know how many people who have died unfulfilled? Do you know how many dreams and visions that have been buried inside the grave? A lot of people don’t think in the direction of using money to fulfill their purpose. Yes, they can have some goals and objectives, and have money to achieve them. But all these don’t mean fulfillment. Though, achievements can contribute to fulfillment, they are not fulfillment. When you always think in line of your purpose, you’ll know that money is highly instrumental to achieving it. Imagine someone whose purpose is to build a resident for orphans and take care of them, but doesn’t have money. How is he going to get it done? If he solicits for help, it would still be to raise money and get things done. Money is vital to fulfilling purpose and dreams in life. 

The third means of money is that it makes you happy. Forget about people who don’t know what they are talking about- saying money doesn’t make you happy. Money makes you happy, 100%. How? I will show you. First, let’s understand what being happy is and what it’s not. Being happy means you enjoy something, you experience joy or pleasure. You have a feeling of high-spirit, pleasure and contentment. Tell me which of these things money doesn’t do for you? Most things that don’t make people happy in the world today are related to money. So that if you have money, you know you’ll be happy most of the time, if not all the time. 

Being happy is not what you force yourself to do, as some people have fanaticized it. They would say even if you are not happy, you have to force yourself to be happy. And I wonder if that is happiness or forcefulness. You don’t force happiness. It’s a natural feeling that comes from contentment and pleasure of having what you want. You can’t be in a state when you don’t have what you want or not satisfied with what is going on around you and say you are happy. You are not happy. You’re only pretending it. So, money makes you happy. You can use money to buy contentment. You can use money to buy pleasure. In fact, you can use money to buy a good life. It is your understanding about money and how you use it that makes it work its best for you. Don’t worry about the naysayers who downplay the value and importance of money. This is not that one should be mad or desperate about money, but to understand the value of it, and know how important it is in making you live a happy life. 

People who have lived in poverty would tell you that it is never a good experience. It is not what you would pray for your enemy. Poverty is anti-nature. There’s nothing good about poverty. It’s only human beings that have inculcated this negative nature into themselves. Nature doesn’t support it. All what you would see in nature is abundance and blessings. There is more than enough to go around. There’s abundant space, air, water, land, plants, animals, and resources, and all these, for the wellbeing of mankind. But man has decided in his own mind to justify poverty and lack, and say money would not make him happy. Like I mentioned earlier, if you know what money can get for you, you’ll never say money doesn’t make you happy. Rather, you would say, lack of money doesn’t make you happy. Money is a value that represents other values in the world. So, we can as well measure the values that you have in this life with money. People who have high value in this world, for sure, have money, because money is a value. It draws on other values and drawn by other values. 

Even though, it’s not only money that makes you happy, but for sure, money top the list. In a 2010 study, they found out that there are six things that contribute to happiness and money has influence on most of them. Here are those six things- 1. Being grateful 2. Doing what you love 3. Being optimistic 4. Practicing acts of kindness 5. Relishing in how lucky you are, and 6. Using your strengths. Money makes you to be grateful. Think of people who you are grateful to, maybe they helped you financially or materially. If there’s no money, they wouldn’t be able to offer that assistance which made you to be grateful. You can also be grateful for your life. In this case, it may not be totally dependent on money, but money contributes to it. Because, if you are in a miserable situation, it might be hard for you to be grateful, even if you want to. 

Again, you do what you love comfortably when you know you don’t have money problem. Somebody who is still looking for how to survive may not care if they are doing what they love or not. In fact, most of the time, they do what they hate, just for the sake of getting money. Because they know they have bills to pay and other financial pressure on them. So, for you to do what you love, you know your money problem has been settled. What about being optimistic and practicing acts of kindness? Of course, money goes a long way to achieve these things. People are more optimistic in wealthy nations than poor nations. Even though, optimism is more of a mindset and perception, money is no joke when it comes to its influence on our minds and how we think. We know money increases our acts of kindness. Money makes us more generous and friendly. A person who doesn’t have money is easy to anger and jealousy, and could easily offend other people. Now, you know why money answers to all things. Even though, it would not do all things, but it sure has influence on all things. 

Let’s consider another means of money. Money makes us love easily. Love is good when there’s money. I know many would say- “separate love from money, they are two different things”. Yes! But come on, both of us know that you can’t express love without money. You know among the people whom you love are people who have blessed you with money and have done something related to money for you. Though you didn’t love them just because of money, but money makes the love come more alive. One thing you want to know about love is giving. There’s no love without giving. And when I say giving, I mean giving something valuable, something that other people can cherish and appreciate. When you love someone, you can give them your time, energy, resources and money. Since, love can’t be expressed without giving, you can give money. When you give money, the person will love you more. Because you’ve expressed your love. You see how love and money are related. You can’t just claim you love someone without giving something of value like money to them. I’m sure they would question your love. Again, not because love is about money. But because love is about giving. And one of the valuable things that you can give people in this world is money. So, you rather go get good money if you want to love more and let people appreciate or value your love. If you want to learn more how to make money (with no bullshits), check my other articles on this blog. 

In conclusion, the means of money opens us more to the value money has and how it is instrumental to helping us to get things done and live a happy life. Cheers!

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