Have you ever noticed how quickly a “want” can transform into a “need” in your mind? That sleek new car, the larger home, the luxury vacation — desires have a way of convincing us they’re necessities. But what if our greatest freedom isn’t found in satisfying every desire but in mastering them?
As we’ve pondered in our previous Valuables blogs over the past few weeks, ancient Stoic wisdom can provide useful insights into our modern-day challenges. They believed that true peace comes not from getting everything we want but from wanting what we already have. This perspective feels particularly relevant in today’s world of constant consumption and comparison.
When desires become masters
“The man who isn’t satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing,” wrote Epicurus. Though he wasn’t a Stoic, his wisdom aligns beautifully with Stoic philosophy. The Stoics recognized that unchecked desires don’t lead to freedom — they create a form of enslavement.
Think about it: When we’re constantly chasing the next thing, we’re never truly at rest or pausing for a moment of gratitude. We become servants to our wants rather than masters of our lives. The new car brings momentary joy, but soon, we’re eyeing an upgrade. The larger home fills with more stuff, requiring more maintenance and more worry.
This isn’t about embracing deprivation. It’s about recognizing the difference between wants that align with our deeper values and those that simply respond to fleeting impulses or social pressure. The latter doesn’t get us any closer to our financial goals or happiness.
Financial decisions as a values statement
Think about your financial decisions as a values statement: Every dollar you spend communicates what matters to you and what doesn’t. You worked hard to earn and save your money, so what you decide to spend it on sends a message. Money is stored energy — potential you can direct toward what matters most.
When your spending and saving align with your core values, you feel a sense of congruence that brings genuine satisfaction. Your financial decisions become intentional rather than reactive. You’re no longer pulled in different directions by competing desires but move purposefully toward what matters most.
This might mean investing more in experiences that unite your family rather than status symbols. It might mean choosing financial security that allows you to give generously rather than displaying wealth that requires constant maintenance.
Practical steps toward financial freedom
1. Practice the pause
Give yourself a waiting period before making significant purchases. The initial intensity of desire often fades, revealing whether something is a passing want or aligned with deeper values.
2. Beware of lifestyle inflation
As income increases, resist the automatic expansion of spending. Instead, intentionally decide what additional expenditures truly enhance your life’s meaning.
3. Find contentment in simplicity
There’s a quiet joy in having “enough” without excess. When we maintain this perspective, we can appreciate luxuries as occasional pleasures rather than necessities.
4. Create value filters
Develop clear criteria for major financial decisions that reflect your deepest values. Does this purchase bring lasting value? Does it strengthen relationships? Does it contribute to purposes beyond myself?
Freedom through discipline
The Stoics understood something that feels counterintuitive in our current culture: True freedom comes through discipline. By questioning and challenging our desires, we free ourselves from their tyranny. We should aim to move through life with intention, using our resources — time, energy, and, yes, money — in ways that create meaning beyond momentary pleasure. When we have this alignment, we find ourselves less anxious about having “enough” because we’ve defined what “enough” means for us.
At Concentus, we believe financial wealth creates options. In the wealth management world, we often focus on growing assets. But perhaps the most valuable growth is in our capacity to align our desires with our values — finding freedom not in having everything we want but in wanting what truly matters.
Our ultimate goal is to help our clients find wealth and contentment. If you want to have a discussion about how to align your values and financial choices, let’s talk.
About VALUABLES
Many financial advisors focus on communicating with clients to provide complex analysis of the investment markets and economies. However, we have learned that most clients are not particularly interested in this complex analysis. Most clients hire an advisor for their knowledge of the markets, not for their ability to explain that knowledge. Most want to know what time it is, not how to build a watch.
Experience has taught us that wealthy families care most about using their wealth as a means to a desirable end, which is to achieve a more satisfying, fulfilled and impactful life, and to fulfill their most important Life Values.
VALUABLES is a periodic article series focused on the concepts, systems, and habits which we have observed among families who have been successful in this quest to use their wealth as a tool to live a life of significance. The most successful families share a set of habits, systems, and insights which enable them to use their wealth as a tool to fulfill their Values and what is most important to them.
We named this article series VALUABLES, because it provides an exploration of those habits, systems, and insights. We hope it will help you to consider your assets and possessions which are most valuable to you, and how you can use your financial wealth to enhance and cultivate your true “Valuables”.
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