Don’t Measure Your Worth in Terms of Money

Of all the various things that keep us up at night, there is one that is particularly troublesome: MONEY.

Money is Connected to Every Aspect of Our Lives

Unless you’re a Buddhist monk seeking enlightenment in the Himalayas or live on a remote island and rely on the resources around you to get by, money is connected to every aspect of our lives and nobody is able to stay away from it. We often find ourselves fixated on the number in our bank account and look at it as a way of being able to experience the finer things in life. Money is often looked at as a status symbol around the world and plays a huge role in determining our level of happiness. People work their very hardest to increase the amount in their bank account and in the process, end up tying their personal-worth to their net-worth.

Create Memorable Moments for Yourself

Being able to enjoy the fruits of your labor and splurge on yourself is one of the greatest pleasures this world has to offer. However, with everything in life, it is important to seek moderation. Your ability to delay gratification and set some money to the side for a later date can significantly improve your mental well-being and unlock several opportunities and experiences. Ultimately, money should be looked at as a tool that allows you to create memorable moments for yourself and the people that matter. In the end, it's the experiences over things that you will remember.

Measuring your Worth

With all this being said, measuring your worth in terms of how much wealth you’re able to accumulate in your life can be very unfulfilling. Frankly speaking, money has come to be used as a common criterion for measuring the value of all sorts of things including humans.  All this does is encourage an inferiority complex (Thank goodness I’m wealthier than this person) and a superiority complex (How can that person be making way more than I am).  I don’t mean to come across as this person that is completely detached from the envy that comes with our constant desire for more wealth, but you don’t need me to tell you that comparing ourselves to others is a huge obstacle to living peacefully.  

Now that we know not to measure our worth in terms of money, how should we determine the value of our lives? To begin with, human beings are all unique in their own way, and we all place a significant amount of importance on the things that truly matter to us. However, the one thing that is universal to everyone is how much of a positive impact we aspire to make. Being able to change the lives of the people around us is what true wealth is, it’s our ability to influence that makes the biggest difference. One profession I truly admire is that of a teacher, because when it comes down to it, a teacher affects eternity; they can never tell when their influence stops and there is no dollar value that can be put on their impact.

Devoting Yourself

We all have the potential to create a positive impact regardless of how simple our individual lives are. This could be done in multiple ways such as devoting yourself to loving others, devoting yourself to your community around you, and devoting yourself to something that gives you purpose and meaning.

In closing, when considering your self-worth it is important to note that you are more than just a number. It’s vital to know where you are today so that you can get to where you want to be. While I encourage you to know your net worth and use it for your benefit, don’t let that number define you.  It’s merely a tool to help you be successful, but even then, your greatest sense of purpose doesn’t come from financial success but rather from devoting yourself towards a cause that makes the lives of other people 1% better. That right there is what true self-worth is all about.

-Kondwelani Kalinda, Financial Planning Assistant

‍Kondwelani Kalinda is a Financial Planning Assistant at Endeavour Wealth Management with iA Private Wealth, an award-winning office as recognized by the Carson Group. Together with his partners he provides comprehensive wealth management planning for business owners, professionals and individual families.

This information has been prepared by Kondwelani Kalinda who is a Financial Planning Assistant for iA Private Wealth and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of iA Private Wealth. The information contained in this newsletter comes from sources we believe reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or reliability. The opinions expressed are based on an analysis and interpretation dating from the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Furthermore, they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned. The information contained herein may not apply to all types of investors. The Investment Advisor can open accounts only in the provinces in which they are registered.