Does Thriving Require Money?

People have different definitions for thriving, but money is not always the priority. Money can deliver comfort but it does not always deliver peace. What is the difference? Maybe all the difference in the world.

People with money but not at piece may be in the throes of self-destruction as much as taking pleasure in their achievement. At a certain point, earning money because of our skills in a job that seems to ruin our lives is a difficult scenario to endure.

Higher or Lower Income May Have Surprises

I can personally say I have transitioned from a high income career to a lower income career but I would never go back. My new work is extremely satisfying and suits my lifestyle. I look forward to work and have passion for it. It is the longest I have been in one job in my life.

Does our lifestyle match our values? What is it we treasure most? Do we need time for sports, exercise, creativity, family, expressing ourselves, or contributing We take the values and match the work to what delivers all the aspects we need in our lives to feel complete, purposeful, and know why we are here.

When I was young my parents encouraged and so did society in so many words to become a lawyer or doctor. The positions were respected, moneyed, and prestigious. They were the top of the food chain. I went to law school and decided I could never do the work. I did not feel it was me.

Do We Really Understand Happiness?

We search in our lives for many answers. What kind of relationships do we want? What kind of work conditions suit us? How much do we want to contribute or is collecting a salary enough? Do we want supervision or want to be entrepreneurial? How much recreation and exercise time do we like? Are we creative and is it necessary for us to be happy?

There are a lot of pieces to put into the thriving puzzle. Money is enjoyed most when it is the product of us doing what we love. Working for money as the goal is a difficult path to find peace. There is always so much money available after we have already earned enough.

I have looked with admiration at Taylor Swift’s life. She started trying to get record producers to produce her on her terms. They wanted someone else to sing her songs. She is a prolific song writer. I think she sings her songs best because they are her. She has to be enjoying the money, but the rewards she has received and the large audiences that turn out for her performances have to be the biggest thrills.

The Patterns of Thriving

When we are thriving, everything about our lives fits into our pattern. We have the kind of relationships we want, which may be living alone, have the friends we like, spend time in our career, enjoy lots of other activities, and at the end of most days can say that was a good day.

This is the kind of peace that thriving brings. We have to make choices. We have to make constructive choices and optimize our time whether it is working or solitude. We know what we like and there is time in our schedule to enjoy. In fact, we set our time blocks to engage in our most important activities. My most important activities are both work and play.

When I was a kid, I did not want to do homework. I wanted to be out playing all the time. As an adult, I found over burdensome work, burned me out. I still want to be a kid in that I want to do the work I love and have the play time I need. Some can work all the time and thrive because their goal is contribution and achievement and their work is who they are.

Is Work Life Balance a Thing?

The work life balance conundrum is personal. Some need more free time than others. Some need more money than others. People who are content often say money is not their drive. A friend who enjoys his life says he wish he didn’t have to think about money after a very successful career, but he doesn’t quite have enough. I don’t mind thinking about money because it is earned in something I think is worthwhile. My work is part of who I am. It is my contribution.

Money is on a sliding scale that goes up and down in people who lead thriving lives. If they are lucky, the money is coming because of their contribution. Some may have to work to enjoy the other things they like to do and know money’s place, but it doesn’t consume them.

I don’t think money was at the top of Tom Brady’s choices because he first valued being the best at what he did. It became clear that he had passed the pinnacle and it was time to rest. He played football even when a $375 million contract for announcing was waiting for him. His every day was devoted at practices that made him a better athlete. His life was consumed by being the best. Maybe it wound up also destroying what he valued.

Is moderation the key? Maybe but maybe not. Are our addictions constructive? Do we keep a clear vision of who we are in the midst of our busy lives. I begin each morning with a 20 minute meditation. It separates who I am from all that I do and the rest of the world. We need to be connected and separate and understand them both.

Thriving begins by understanding our values and understanding how to be happy. Being happy is not usually what people have grown up thinking. It is a biological reaction to our behaviors better explained in the four books in my Markap series. Understanding how to be happy and setting the right behaviors is the most direct path to thriving.

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As a Thriving Worker Consultant, I can engage in conversations with employers on how to begin the process of helping workers thrive and reach peak performance. It begins with a conversation to see how far an organization is willing to go to change the culture for workers.

Great practices for daily living can be learned with the Markap Series of Books. If your organization would like live presentations or Zoom meetings, they can be arranged for small to large groups.

The Markap Books:

Self-Leadership, Gratitude, Happiness, and Start Now

See Books on the Home Page

Contact me at Mark@markap1.com

Call for a Free 20 minute Consultation 442-288-3364