Is pursuing wealth worth it? Some would say that chasing money is the only thing that matters in life, while others believe there is more to life than just making money. This blog post will explore both sides of the matter and see if it is a goal worth having.

Having more money as a goal

Becoming wealthy and having tens of millions of cash in your possession; it's probably a dream for many of us. We think we will be happy once we can purchase anything we want anytime. However, you may hear of cases about wealthy people still not feeling happy or satisfied with their lives despite all the money in their possession. So what else could probably be missing? Is the pursuit of money a worthwhile goal to have?

Money is a part of our lives; that much is a fact. It is a commodity used for buying necessities and pleasures, the needs and wants, shall we say. We live and grow in this world, studying in our younger years so we can get a degree that will later help us secure a good job that will allow us to earn money. Some people start a business of their own, but the goal is to make money. If we think for a moment, having a perspective like this would make it seem that earning money is our purpose in life. It makes sense when almost everything we need to live requires money. So it's not surprising that money is the main reason we do things in our lives for most of us. Add the fact that it's not easy to come by, which drives people to desire more of it because money almost equates to having the capacity to live in our world. Without it, we'll die of hunger and lose opportunities to live a decent life.

There seems to be a problem with the system.

There are two different opinions regarding money. First, some people say that money cannot buy happiness. On the other hand, some think that you still need money to a certain degree to be happy in your life. There's this certain stigma of demonizing the extremely wealthy. People may think they got to that point by cheating or that the goddess of luck blessed them with the right opportunities from the beginning, such as being born from a wealthy family. It's as if wealth accumulation is some evil. Now we have an irony here: if money is what we need to live a good life and afford a certain degree of happiness, why does society make it look like earning more wealth looks like a sin? Aren't we supposed to work hard to achieve more of it to have a stable and prosperous life?

The accumulation of wealth can be good or bad, depending on balance and perspective. Everything should be in moderation. Lack of money can lead us to a difficult life. On the other hand, having abundant money can open us to sinful acts like being too greedy, acting high and mighty above the less fortunate, or thinking we can get away with anything because we have money. Therefore, we still need to work hard to earn money. However, it shouldn't be the only and ultimate reason we do things in life. Money is only a means. It is the bridge that can connect us to the things we value and those that can give us joy. As we do hard work to earn money, we must never forget that it is only an instrument to get us where we want. The vital part here is knowing what you want in life. Not knowing otherwise can lead you to an endless pursuit of money, hoping that you will achieve happiness and satisfaction by buying things.

Perspective is essential and can change your view on whether accumulating wealth is a goal you should pursue. Money is not happiness. The things you do with the money can determine whether you will be happy. Your mental conditioning can also dictate whether you will be happy and satisfied with something. How you grew up can influence whether you worship money as the ultimate reason for all your actions, or it could only be an instrument to access things in your life.

Should we take wealth accumulation as a goal?

So now you may ask yourself, should I make chasing money a goal in life? To a certain degree, yes. However, it shouldn't be the only goal you should strive for, and it should only act as a bridge to something bigger that gives value and purpose to your life. For example, suppose your ultimate goal is to attain a work-life balance where you get to enjoy life while maintaining significant financial assets and not having to do the usual work setup of working for around 9 hours a day. Accumulating money is an essential ingredient to get to your ideal life. You have to earn your income, save some amount from it, look for other opportunities that will let you make money, and procure resources to get to your ideal point, all of which require money. However, it's not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in your journey. Money is there by your side and will only assist you in getting where you want.

Think of it this way: with the way our system works, having more money means having more opportunities and access to things that will let us live a more fulfilling life. In other words, it gives us freedom and security. You gain the freedom to do more things that you couldn't before, and you feel more secure knowing you have the money to cover your needs and possible future unforeseen circumstances. And then, there are the things that can make us truly happy: a happy family, trustworthy friends, belongingness to a community, and unforgettable experiences. At some point, money still plays a part in helping get these valuable things in life. For example, treasured experiences won't happen if you don't have the money to pay for travel expenses. Likewise, a family can't stay happy if there isn't enough money to sustain daily needs. And you can't meet the people who would eventually become your good friends if you didn't have the money to travel or engage yourself in the places where you could have met them.

Money can work for the short term in giving you pleasure and satisfaction. However, it's only a part of your journey in the long run. A person's entire life doesn't revolve only around money. It's only an instrument that will help us attain success in whatever we pursue.