The more money you have, the more things you can buy for yourself and others, the more time you can buy back, and the more places you can go. It all boils down to the feeling of freedom. Money is freedom, right?
Hmmm yeah, kind of, but also, no, not really.
I once read about someone who attended an event with a famous and wealthy marketing guru. It was time for a group photo, and they told everyone to put the cigars away because their fanbase wouldn’t like it. That doesn’t sound like freedom to me.
I have listened to podcasts featuring billionaires with publicly listed companies who walk on eggshells talking about themselves and their companies, trying to ensure nothing they say negatively affects their stock price. That doesn’t sound like freedom, either.
And let’s not even mention actors, musicians, sports stars, or other celebrities. Paparazzi follow them everywhere, monitoring their every move. Just one sentence taken the wrong way can create an entire scandal and ruin their reputation. Not freedom.
These people have acquired a lot of money but often end up restricted by other factors, such as their full schedule, responsibilities, and public image. In other words, rather than achieving real freedom, they have only shifted where their limitations are.
So then, if money doesn’t provide true freedom, what does?
Freedom to clearly express yourself and share your thoughts
When you can clearly express your thoughts, not only will you feel better, but you will also become more convincing to others. When you can clearly articulate yourself, clarify a problem, or explain your ideas, people find it easier to listen to you and understand where you are coming from. This makes it much more likely others will find your position convincing and agree with you.
Freedom to think for yourself and make your own decisions
If you don’t fully trust or value your judgments and perspectives, you will depend on others to make decisions for you. You will then risk living a life you don’t want. However, when you have a robust thought process, you can make decisions by yourself, learn from them, and begin to trust and value your judgments more. You will then be able to listen to others and consider their advice without depending on it, gaining more control over your life.
Ability to quickly surpass limitations
The truth is everyone has limitations. So, freedom is about how quickly you can surpass them and continue to grow. When some form of a limitation arises and slows down or stops your growth, you must be able to transcend that limitation quickly. But, how much time and money you spend overcoming your limitations hinges on how quickly you can find the best possible way forward. More money may or may not help. More money might make the situation worse. More money might work, but there may have been a cheaper and much better alternative. You only know once you understand the limitation’s nature and explore how to overcome it.
True freedom boils down to thinking well, finding solutions, and communicating clearly. These qualities are at the core of being free and getting everything you want in life, even money!
So whether you’re a celebrity or a billionaire, or whether you’re a struggling single mother, a failing business owner in debt, or anywhere in between, you’ve got what it takes to become free and live the life you want. You won’t find the answer in your bank account; you’ll find it inside your unique, thinking brain.
If you want to express yourself clearly, think for yourself, and quickly, surpass your limitations to get a real sense of freedom, sign up for our Thinking Foundations course.
Jarrod is a Black Belt in Thinking instructor and a thinking coach.