The Wrong Money Questions
“You can’t get the right answers if you’re asking the wrong questions.”
When finding your way forward with regards to your money situation, there are two important things to know about the questions you might have:
There are no dumb questions.
2. There are wrong questions.
Unfortunately, if you never get past the idea of asking what you think might be a dumb question, you may end up unknowingly circling around the wrong questions.
And you can't get the right answers -- the answers you need -- without asking the right questions.
Asking the Right Questions Starts with Asking the Right KIND of Question
Many people, when facing a difficulty or challenge of some sort (regardless of whether it's money-related), default to the question: "What should I do now?"
And while this is a perfectly normal and potentially helpful question, I'd like to suggest a different one: "Who am I?"
Because the answers to...
...how to stop running out of money before the next paycheck
...whether or not to put money into that private investment
...if you should start managing rental properties
...how much and which kind(s) of insurance you need
...what to do with that inheritance check
WILL look different for you than it does for someone else, because your life, circumstances, gifts, passions, and goals are different.
Pausing to consider who you are is critical to making choices that are in line with what you want.
When You've Remembered WHO You Are, Now It's Time For the Next Question:
"Why does this matter to me?"
If you don't know why your "why" matters, I'd invite you to not just take it from me, but one from one of the most widely recognized leaders on this topic, Simon Sinek:
Knowing why something matters to you is incredibly important when trying to figure out what to do next, and knowing who you are helps you figure out why (or why not) something might matter to you.
Said another way:
Your personal purpose flows directly into and through your financial choices.
Purpose unlocks meaning and joy.
Aligning who you are with your money decisions leads to tremendous amounts of peace and clarity when it comes to saving, investing, spending and giving.
And I believe this to be true no matter how much money you have.
My grandparents - who died with literally nothing to their name - are still to this day some of the most joyful and contented people on the planet I've ever known. Looking back, every single financial decision they made was aligned with who they were: community-driven, family-oriented, and abundance-minded.
From an outside perspective, their accounts were empty. But the way they spent their money made their life (and everyone's in it) full to the point of overflowing.
On the other hand, I've known others who have passed away with millions, only to have their children squabble and squander it until the fortune meant nothing but angst, disappointment, and regret. Being close to that situation gave me valuable insight into what it looks like when people see wealth as meaning rather than as a tool to be aligned with the life’s purpose.
If you're feeling a little lost today on how to solve your money problems, I'd love to help you discover (or re-discover) your personal purpose so that you can make great financial decisions.
Sadly, I've met lots of technically-brilliant advisors that I could never recommend, simply because they put problems first and people second. And while the what and the how are undeniably important to accomplish your goals, never forget that the who will always show up at some point.
Decisions around saving, investing, spending and giving (i.e., the financial "busy work") are meant to lead you somewhere. Getting somewhere is a dopamine booster. So no matter what the goal is, when you reach it, you are going to feel good.
My challenge to you is think about what it's going to be like for the next 2, 5, 10 or even 20 years after you’ve reached some or all of your financial goals.
Are you going to like that place?
Are you going to be able to show up as your best self there?
Are you going to want to continue to be there?
I believe the answers to those questions matter just as much as figuring out how to get there.
~Jess
P.S. I'm curious...what would/does financial success look like to you? Let me know! (No answer is a "dumb" answer! 😉)
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