Nine out of Ten

Someone once said, "The answer to nine out of ten of life's questions is 'money'." It's hard to dispute.

Money is not the answer to everything, but it answers a lot. Having enough money lets you do what you want to do rather than just what you must do to stay alive. The more money you have, the further up Maslow's pyramid you can climb.

Sidebar

Wait. Actually, you don't need money. If you live like a monk, without any attachment to external things or people, and willing to drift from place to place, like Kwai Chang Cain on the TV show Kung Fu (look it up), then you can get by without it. Trust me, though, by age 29, you'll be very tired of this lifestyle. I did it for a couple of years in England, and it was (a) exciting, (b) fun, (c) trying, then finally (d) frustrating. When I finished my year of study in Leeds, I stayed there to pursue my dream of becoming a superstar musician. I had met a major label producer who liked my songs, and wanted to record me, for free, and helped hook me up with a major festival gig. I found other musicians who really liked my music, and off we went.

Except in the meantime, I had to pay the rent. For four months, I slept on the bass player's couch. I worked day labor jobs, the only work I could get without a work permit. Mind you, I had two master's degrees, and was working construction, demolition, janitorial, or whatever unskilled, cash-paying jobs I could get under the radar. I finally could afford my own place, but it was very, very hard work, especially since I was fast approaching 30, and my body took longer to recover than it did at 18. This went on for two years or so.

When I could not take it anymore, I took a chance doing office temp work, eventually leading to starting my own consulting business in the UK. Life was much better after that! Being a starving artist, or starving anything, sounds much more romantic than it is. I don't recommend it. At least not for long.

Debt Balls

Okay, so if you participate in our Western materialistic society to any degree at all, you are going to need money. The occidental route to monk-like existence comes from Ben Franklin: don't pay too much for your whistle. Don't get bound up in debt, unless it's something you really, really want (like a house). Understand the impacts that it will have on your life and mobility. In short, understand that debt itself is an iron ball and chain that you drag around with you. The more you have, the less you can run.

Some liberal youngsters view money as evil. It's not. It's freedom. Do not value it over your relationships with others, or your own morals, but give it the proper respect. Mastering money early in life, when it's easiest, opens the door to all your childhood dreams.