Walt Disney had a saying about making money. It’s the best approach I’ve heard.
The Normal View
Many people’s lives revolve around money and how to get more of it. They look forward to having money and all the things it can afford. Sure, there are circumstances that may put us in a desperate need for money, but some of us want more.
We like things. We like stuff. We want to have all the experiences. So we look for ways to earn more, make more, and have more.
The Disney View
Disney had a different view. Walt Disney used to enjoy making movies. And theme parks. And a slew of other things. He wanted to make entertainment. His goal was to create. It wasn’t about the money. It was about the freedom to do all the great things he wanted to do.
So he sought out money. His view was simple. He said, “We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.” Money was not the end, but the means.
Money as a Tool
Richard Branson, a billionaire who owns his own island, once received a loan from his Aunt to start his business. She told him that money is a tool. She told him “money was for making things happen.”
Money is not an end. It’s a means. We don’t work to make money to buy stuff. We make money to be able to create and to do amazing things. There is so much of the world to enjoy, but the most valuable thing we can enjoy is our own creation.
If you want to enjoy the real value of money, don’t work to accumulate money to buy stuff. Instead find ways to make money to enjoy doing the things that you can do that make the world better.
