Ask The Readers: What Role Does Money Play in the Pursuit of a Dream?

This is one of my favorite type of posts. I love hearing what you guys have to say.

Money is one of those things that is always on people’s minds, but people don’t like to talk about it… So, In honor of bringing up a Taboo topic I have decided to bring money into the equation :) .

Ask The Readers

What role does money play in the pursuit of a dream? Does money matter? Is making money part of following a dream?

I’m way excited to hear what you guys have to say! And of course, I’ll respond to every comment!

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  • MrTravisScott

    Yes…I think money does matter, but I think it matters for different reasons! For some people it is everything – that is how they feel powerful, in control, or that they “made it”. For others it is a means for something else – to build a school for children over seas, to help stop child slavery, ect. And for some it allows them to do something else they want to do with their life.

    For me it is a combination: Money is important to my dreams b/c I want to make enough money to give me financial freedom, do what I want on my terms, and give $ to great causes!

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Awesome comment Mr. Travis Scott :) . You totally took advantage of the open nature of the question.

      I think the key is that you have nailed that money does matter but the manner in which it matters varies for each person. As you put, money provides freedom. With freedom we are able to start our dream and take it to the next level. Without freedom we always have to play by someone else’s rules.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Mr. Travis (I love that you call yourself Mr. Travis).

  • David H.

    No I think there are many ways to obtain what you need to live. Barter, the oldest system in the world is still viable. Read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden for example(which I am currently listening to in audiobook form). Few realize that they have resources that they might well trade in exchange for what they need. My brother for example is an artist and trades his manifold skill for many of the necessities of life.

    • Suzanne Stormon

      David, I like your idea of barter. It’s something I’ve only done a few times but I think it’s a practice I need to adopt.

      • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

        I agree Suzanne :) - it’s a really awesome comment. Very out of the box thinking!

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      David this is a really fascinating comment you bring into the mix. This point is completely valid. Is it possible for someone to travel around the world via bartering rather than using money? Yes, it would be difficult (but all dreams are difficult!) but when I think about it, the possibility does seem viable.

      I think the key component would be that it would have to fit within the parameters of that person’s dream.

      This is a really great comment – I’m glad you brought it up :) . I never would have thought up this had I not read your comment. Thanks for adding so much value!

  • http://www.vishnusvirtues.com/ Vishnu

    Not sure if one needs to make money out of the dream but money needs to be there to pursue a dream. For example, if you want to become a world class cyclist, you need a world class bike and that costs money. So probably $$ is needed to pursue that dream. You probably also need a place to stay and one needs to eat to become a world class cyclist. Cycling without food may only last for a few weeks. Of course having said this, there are some dreams where no money is necessary. If I dreamt of becoming a world class sleeper – I just need to be able to sleep. but maybe in a house which may require money. hmmm…..

    Do you need to make money after you pursue your dream? Or does your dream need to make money? I think that’s up to each person to decide. Usually, if one pursues their dream, money will come. But if you pursue it for other reasons – personal gratification, the ability to share and give, spiritual realization – then, no, no money needs to come out of it.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      I have to throw out this comment V – Does anyone you know actually want to become a world class sleeper? NO! Though I’m putting words in your mouth I feel pretty confident on this one :) .

      I think in all cases a dream needs some type of funding. But maybe I am wrong…

      I’m about to completely contradict my previous statement and completely agree with you:

      I think you bring up an interesting point about the spiritual aspect of it all. Is it possible for a person to wander from city to city spreading the word of God without making a living from it… Jesus Christ would say Yes :) . You got a good point there Vishnu.

      Gotta give you some credit man. I love that you brought spirituality into the mix. It adds a whole other dimension to the concept of needing money to pursue a dream.

      I think you should start a blog called “Comments by Vishnu”… It will just be a backlog of comments you write on sites :) .

      • http://www.vishnusvirtues.com/ Vishnu

        Funny – I don’t actually try to get too creative on other sites when commenting. LOL but on your site – I feel it’s like whatever that doesn’t get get me karate chopped works. haha

        p.s. I have a couple friends who are world class sleepers – one gets paid to sleep for research by some of hte world’s top universities. hahahaha

        • Sean

          Vishnu’s Friend: 1, Universe: 298.

          • http://www.vishnusvirtues.com/ Vishnu

            funny guy! I’d say it’s more 25 – 150

  • Suzanne Stormon

    I think making money has to be part of achieving some of my dreams because I’m not independently wealthy. That said, I don’t think I need too much money because my dream doesn’t include many possessions. It’s more about the freedom to move around, travel and write. Some of that can be done very cheaply and sometimes I can trade for those things I do need. For me, it’s about making some money because my retirement isn’t enough and at the same time developing those problem solving skills to get around the money obstacles. I’m going to Vietnam (from the US) in March and it will mean dipping into my small emergency fund. I think it’s worth it, but I’ll have to focus on making money before and after.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Hi Suzanne :) .

      What I’m getting from your comment is that money provides access to freedom. Correct?

      For me, saving up money has allowed me to take steps I never otherwise would have. It’s an interesting balance. When I was a teacher I was in a situation that allowed me to save up a good amount of money… But I was depressed and anxious. I left that career because although it was putting me in a good financial situation I was hating my life. But at the same time by doing that for the time period I did and making sure I handled my money responsible it has opened doors that allow me to live the life I live today.

      In a sense, that past career of mine allowed me to drop a down payment on my dream :) . Now, I’m finding new ways to fund it, but to start it off I needed that money.

      Thank you for taking the time to write out such a well articulated comment. Do you ever make grammatical errors? :)

  • Patiencepie

    Money is needed to live. I wish I could trade what I’m good at for electricity, water to my house, food, etc. but that’s not reality. On the other hand, I used to think I should be a dental hygienist so I’d have the money to travel and do all the things I dream about. Iv had zillions of jobs I hated and felt like I was waking up everyday to a wasted life and losing my soul. So I think you have to find a balance and decide what your time is worth. Is it worth it to have money but hate your daily life, or is it better to be struggling but have a fun job. I’m an artist and I’m flippin broke but Iv had crummy jobs and they weren’t worth it. Finding a balance.
    My friend says “money can’t buy happiness but it makes misery a whole lot easier” So it’s not everything but you gotta have “some”.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Hahaha! Wow what a great quote. It’s true isn’t it. I think you nailed a really powerful point here (please correct me if I get it wrong): Basically money doesn’t buy happiness but without it we are setting ourselves up for massive struggle.

      I agree I think there is a balance to be found. If all we do is simply chase money it can be a painful, heartbreaking depressing battle. But at the same time if we completely ignore the importance of money then we are setting ourselves up for stress and anxiety. Just like you said – a balance is needed :) .

      Thanks for taking the time to write such a well written comment :) .

  • Sean

    Money is survival, freedom, success, and power.

    At the basic level we all need money to survive. Beyond that, where someone falls in the spectrum will depend on the dream and the lifestyle one is willing to live while pursuing that dream.

    Someone has already mentioned Thoreau which is a great example (and Walden is one of my favorite books so I’m going to use it here). Thoreau still needed money for basics (e.g. shelter, food) even while doing most of the labor himself. More importantly, he never intended it as a permanent lifestyle. What a lot of people take away from Thoreau’s Walden experiment is that “money isn’t important”… but that’s the wrong conclusion. The experiment actually tells us “money isn’t as important as we frequently believe”.

    So while money is important, it’s equally important to know how much money is necessary, how much is sufficient, and then how much is desired.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Dang Sean! This comment is freaking awesome. I love what you have said here. It’s not black or white. Yes, money opens doors but it isn’t the answer! To some degree it’s like physical health. If we are sick and ailing then all we can think about is our health. But once we reach a certain point of physical health – then we can begin to focus on other things. Also, the subtle implication here (just like physical health) is that if it suits our needs we may want to earn a lot of money :) .

      I really appreciate you taking the time to write such a well thought out and articulated comment Sean! Thanks for taking taking the conversation to a new a level.

  • Fabiana

    Yes, it matter either to a) aid you/necessary to pursue your dreams and b) be part of your dream, how much money you will make if it has to do with work/ career. Both can be reasons to not follow your dreams if you consider you don’t or will not have enough money.
    On the other hand, if you’re comfortable with money you have/ saved etc it makes everything a lot easier…

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      I totally agree Fabiana :) . I believe that money opens up doors for new opportunities. The simple reality is that I have been able to do what I have done because I have managed my money well. Yes, now I am finding new creative ways to generate income in Japan – but I never would have had the confidence to take these steps had I not had a good foundation of finances in place.

      Thanks for contributing to the conversation with such a well thought out comment(As always Fabiana!)

      • Fabiana

        Excellent! You’re also good at planning… You’re welcome :)

  • Joe

    I sometimes dream of winning a large lottery. Then the real joy of the dream is that once my children would be secure I would place it all in a trust and enjoy spending it on some chosen charities. What a great life that would be. Altruism is selfish.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      I’ll throw out an alternative Joe :) . Personally I don’t believe money in and of itself brings happiness. Yes, we do need a certain amount to survive and function but after those needs are met – I believe joy comes from earning money.

      Yes, I would like to have a large sum of money in my future, but I don’t want it handed to me! I want to earn it. I believe the joy will come from the journey not the attainment. You know what I’m sayin’?

  • CameronLeeCrowhurst

    It depends on your dream really. I might dream of being a runner. All I need is my body for that. Simple. You might dream of being an entrepreneur which is all about the money.

    Money is needed to survive, however.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      What’s up Cameron :) .

      You bring up a good point! It depends on the dream. I agree with you, we all need a certain amount to survive and live the dream, but then after that it depends on the dream.

      Though, I would throw out this thought: the more money we have the more freedom we have. I guess it just comes down to a case by case basis.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment and add value to the conversation!

  • http://twitter.com/MsStJames Stephanie St. James

    Money definitely opens the doors to be able to create opportunities for yourself. It’s taboo when it comes to the idea of being spiritual or free, but the truth is you just need money to allow you certain freedoms in life and that applies to pursuing your dreams. Can you be flat broke and still pursue your dreams? Most definitely but you’re going to be taking the first steps most likely towards creating some type of finances to help support you along the way. I say to my husband all the time just because we are spiritual people who live outside the box doesn’t mean we have to be broke! The more money we make the more freedom we have to continuing being creative and do things we are truly passionate about. If my dream is to sail about around the world I need money to buy a boat or to build one right? So yes it matters. It’s just the way the world is set up.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Beautifully stated Stephanie. We see one to one on this one :) (That seems to happen a lot!)

      This reminds me of a wonderful quote by Abraham Lincoln: “You can’t help the poor by becoming one of them.”

      I think there is an unfortunate taboo with money. The simple reality is that money gives us freedom. The more freedom we have the more we can do. If I have money, it allows me to take steps in my life that have a huge impact on myself and others. If I don’t have money I will have to turn down opportunities.

      I love how you put this Stephanie! Nicely done :) .

  • Sophie

    I think money is fine as long as it’s used as a tool. I think sometimes money can become so important to us, that we are afraid to try something new, or even help someone else for fear of losing money. But really, it’s just paper. It only has value because we gave it value. One day it might be worth very little, so I try to view it as a tool: something to help me in where I’m going rather than an end in and of itself.

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Yes money is just paper – but it drives our entire economy. It is what the world requires to do things. I don’t think we can rise above money and never have to use it. I really liked how you called it a “tool”. Money allows us to go after those things that we truly want :) .

  • http://twitter.com/GwynMinerva Minerva Gwyn

    I think we all want to at least earn enough to live a comfortable middle-class life, and as we can’t accomplish anything without some investment, and we can’t be free to pursue our dreams full time without earning well, it does play an important part in pursuing a dream.

    But one should be sensible when considering it, because it’s so easy to give it more importance than it has, or to give it the wrong kind of importance. As we’re all bombarded with messages in the media and comments of people in our lives on those who are rich and who seem to live life in such a grandiose and fun way (which may just be a carefully painted facade ;) ), so many of us end up aiming at that level of fame and fortune, without considering whether that would make us really happy and serve our higher purposes, whether we can deal with that in a healthy, intelligent way and whether we can serve others through it.

    I think aiming at earning a certain amount of money should be taken in steps. When one is at the very beginning, still juggling a full time job and other pursuits, they should just aim at earning as much as they do in their full time job (or enough to pay their bills, if they earn too little). That would be a much more realistic goal and would lessen the pressure of becoming successful. After achieving that, one should plan for more, but trying not to think only of one’s whims and wishes, but also of helping others and aiding causes.

    Happiness is not in possessions, which, by the way, will be meaningless any time when death comes knocking on our doors. But whenever it does, if we look back and see that not only we accomplished our dreams doing something awesome and useful, not only we earned as much money as we could, and had a great time in our trips to France and driving Ferraris, but we also helped make our neighborhood, our country, our world better, then we can follow death with a lighter heart, I guess. :)

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      Wow Minerva, this is a great answer to a pretty complex question.

      Like you mention, there is a tricky balance to be found. Personally, I believe that wealth is a consequence of impacting people’s lives in a positive manner. The greatest way to impact lives is that which we are passionate about. You love writing – so in your case this is where you can have the greatest impact in the world. This is simply because you are willing to do the necessary work because you love it.

      I think if a person solely chases money they are heading down a very dangerous and potentially depressing path. Money is wonderful for the freedom it can provide us (and it further allows us to impact others lives) but soley having money for the sake of money will not leave anyone happy.

      Thanks for taking the time to leave such a well written comment.

  • Tommo

    Hi Izzy

    For me, its what money allows you to do /become / experience, rather than money itself that matters. The problem starts I think when money itself becomes the obsession. When money allows me to attempt a mountain challenge, travel to a remote location, help my kids set up their businesses etc. its pretty cool stuff. I think money’s the oil that greases my goals engine! Gross I know, but hey…

    • http://www.30yearoldninja.com/ Izmael Arkin

      I completely agree Tommo :) . Money is a resource that opens doors. It allows us to take advantage of opportunties. When we become obsessed with it, then we are using it in a manner that it’s not intended for. But when we try to discount its importance than we lose out on opportunties.