“The greater the outward show, the greater the inner poverty.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Quick note before we begin:
This is our second last email before I take a (much needed) holiday break.
Our final email will land sometime later this week.
(I’m thinking of writing it during my flight to Costa Rica on Wednesday. So it will probably arrive on Thurs or Fri.)
Today, I want to finally, definitively, answer the very silly question…
“Is it shallow to want to make money?”
…Which is usually accompanied by even sillier answers like:
“Yes” or “no.”
Because as usual, the correct answer is:
“It depends.”
Depth is a measure of the part of your psyche the motivation comes from.
Is it coming from a superficial, fear-based impulse to impress others so you can feel worthy?
To gain status? To stunt?
To flash shiny things that hide deeper insecurities?
If so, welcome to the kiddie pool.
Splash around all you like, just don’t pretend you’re swimming in the Olympics.
Or, maybe your motivation is coming from the very normal need to provide for yourself and your family.
To to live well, free from survival pressure.
To do good work in an honest way.
Well, that’s deeper.
Deeper still…
Maybe you want to make money to fuel a greater vision:
A creative imperative, a purpose, a project that pushes humanity forward.
That’s even deeper.
Of course:
We all go shallow before we can go deep.
And for many of us, the kiddie pool is where we learn how to swim.
All good, fair play.
The only shame is to never graduate to the deep end:
To never experience how vast this ocean can be.
Bottom line, there are levels to the game.
And making money for the sake of making money is only level one.
– T
P.S. A huge, enormous, gigantic shout-out to everyone who joined our 2k25 clarity – strategy – execution workshop on Saturday.
One entrepreneur’s review:
“I can easily say today changed the entire trajectory of my year.
Clarity and strategy is something I struggled with for years. I now feel more empowered to accomplish my goals than I ever have.
This workshop, in one single day, has given me all the tools necessary to succeed.”
– Ethan Simons, co-founder Bullish Events
Another simply said:
“Toby Maguire got bit by a spider. You must have been bit by a GOAT.”
– Nicolas Bruno, business student
We did that sh*t, y’all.
So, so good.
Just remember…
