Money is NOT the Problem

Benjamin Franklin coined this quote in the 1700s, long before America had any reputation or standards to uphold. During his lifetime we were still being potty trained in order to gain our independence and step out amongst the global playing field. Centuries later we still suffer from the inaccurate idea that money will do everything.

The saying goes that the love of money is the root of all evil. Notice it doesn’t say that money is the root, the love of money is the root. Believing that money can do anything is just as incorrect as doing anything for money. It is the people behind the money, the ones making the choices, the investments, giving and repairing, these are the people who hold the keys to making this world a better place. Without accountability, integrity and focusing on the right thing we stand dangerously close to getting burned, and as our media reminds us everyday we all too often do get burned by the people in charge.

Money can do a lot of amazing things, it can also do a great deal of harm. If there is one positive outcome of these COVID-19 months, we each are learning about our own attitudes and habits is regards to money. We have learned where we need to have more money or are able to live on less, we better understand how business works, and we have more power to change things simply by exercising our ability to spend. Money is not the problem. How we use it, misuse it, waste it, invest it or save it controls our freedom to make decisions and choices. If we do not like where we are financially then we need to make different choices. More is not always the answer as these months of social distancing have taught us.

Money will not do everything, remember it is the people behind the money that make the choices that impact lives. We each have a personal responsibility to make good choices with money each and every day, or suffer the consequences when we choose poorly.