Mindset Over Money

I think about money a lot. Hopefully that doesn’t come across the wrong way. It’s not like I’m money-grubbing or something like that. I sure hope not at least.

But money is often top-of-mind for me. For one, my job forces me to think about it. It’s kinda, sorta part of the job description. But even aside from that, money tends to be on my mind a good portion of the time.

Someday I hope it’s not – and the sooner the better, at least from my observations.

Because what I’ve come to realize is that the people who are happiest about money are the ones who think about it the least. And if you think it requires oodles and gobs of money to get it off your mind, you’re wrong. I have seen plenty of people with modest means who are perfectly content with their financial situations. For them, money is an after-thought.

Turns out, it’s your state of mind – not your financial statement – that matters.

There are countless stories across the long arc of history about people rich beyond imagination who are simultaneously lonely, depressed, and unhappy. Like any drug, the hit from attaining more money gets smaller and smaller as wealth grows.

People often remember big money milestones, like reaching a net worth of $1 million. What people don’t mention is that when they amass the second or third million, they barely notice and the bumps to their net worth certainly didn’t boost their happiness in any meaningful way.

Money is a handy and quantifiable metric to use for comparison purposes. I understand why it has been employed over time to evaluate financial growth, both individually throughout life and compared to others. But as they say, not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

There’s a well-worn phrase that everyone knows, which is that money can’t buy happiness. It’s true.

Rather than desperately seeking out the next dollar, we should all spend more time searching for ways to find contentment. To be satisfied with our station in life, regardless of wealth.

Wanting less is of greater importance than attaining more.

In fact, many wealthy folks I speak with are actively trying to shed “stuff” from the lives. They want to reduce complexity. They bought places and things, finding only that they made their lives more hectic and complicated. So now they are enthusiastically simplifying.

Oftentimes, these same folks begin leaning into charitable giving. I can’t tell you how many times I hear, “The more I give, the more that comes back to me.” Despite giving away more money than they ever thought possible, their wealth continues to grow.

I love to see people getting hooked on giving – whether that’s big sums or small. At that point, they have mastered the mentality that mindset is more important than money.

While mastering your mindset is the key, I know of no surefire way to help people find contentment, unfortunately. It seems to me a journey that must be traversed individually. It requires trying things, buying things and failing to find satisfaction.

Make no mistake, however, searching for contentment is a journey worth undertaking.

Because when you find it, it’s a beautiful thing – or so it appears to me. You are no longer beholden to comparisons or judgements or self-pressure. By letting go, you gain control.

The feeling of contentment doesn’t kick in at some magical point after you’ve reached an elusive financial marker. It’s a mindset.

In 2026, I hope we all spend a little less time thinking about money and a lot more time enjoying the precious time we’ve been given.