The true value of money is found in the wealth of experience

A few weeks back I met up with a person in the legal fraternity and we got stuck into what drew us into our respective careers. Taking into account that this person was almost twice my age I thought it would be wise to listen in to some perspective when building a career that would not only serve you as a measure of success as a person but how much difference you make to those around within the sphere you work in. 

I told this particular person that growing up in a big family , being one of five children , was a tough experience, particularly when it came to seeing other children my age receive things for which my parents could not afford and how disheartening that I could not relate in any way to the happiness they felt having not receiving the same tokens of being a child.

I think for any child it can be a traumatic experience not being able to understand why you aren't able or do not have the means to buy every item you see on the shop shelf but it's a reality that so many people still battle with today even as adults.

I went on further to say that it was this feeling of dissociation that was the catalyst for me to say that no matter what was required of me to do , I would do everything I could to understand what the concept of money meant and how I could transfer that knowledge into wealth that would one day secure me the comfort of knowing I wouldn't have to live is despair.

I told of my journey thus far delving into the world of financial markets and seeing how perception has the innate ability to switch human emotions of greed into fear or vice versa.  How billions could change hands at the click of a mouse and how fortunes had been lost to the addiction of seeing money oscillate as if it were a casino slot machine. 

But then it struck me that all this time this person had been listening attentively to what I had been saying, not barring the fact that they had years of experience cross examining witnesses for which they would wait for the right moment to swop in and draw out the necessary points they found relevant to strengthen their case.

And suddenly the verdict was delivered

"Don't make money the centre of your universe. Life has so much more to offer you than simply counting the figures in your bank account. If you want to chase something do it on your dreams"

I was taken aback for a second , until I thought about it and suddenly I realised that there's an incredible sense of financial liberation that comes when you place yourself at the freedom of choosing your financial destiny, especially when it involves you actively following the ebbs and flows on a continously basis , making quick decisions , finding opportunities and managing your emotions.

However there still remains a degree of misconception when it comes to the usage of leverage which implicitly makes the user believe he has more power than what he really holds.  It allows you to find orbit amongst those who possess such wealth physically and able to participate at a fraction of the capital outlay but not without fail. It's never yours , you simply return it once you've completed the expected move for a profit or loss. The larger the exposure the more critical the demand on your attention becomes , one wrong step and it's numbers...quite literally.

And whilst the wealthy may simply shrug off such moves in favour of waiting it out , you aren't afforded that luxury. Instead you're walking on a tight rope trying to balance for your life hoping not to misstep along the way.

And although money might be a means to make things easier as is the case above , it doesn't contribute to the real value that's been created from the experiences you've encountered and accomplished , the moments that can't be bought with family and friends that are attached with genuine emotion and the process of endurance , resilience and determination needed to reach the point you stand at now.

And in concluding I thought it was fitting that after being told to;

"Never forget to be honest with yourself"

Erected up on the wall of the lounge is an enormous mirror that serves of a reminder that everyday when walking past don't forget to look at it and see who appears back because if it's someone you don't recognize then you've found the wrong person.