In today’s world, money isn’t everything, even when the relentless pursuit of money might feel like the ultimate measure of success. From social media influencers flaunting their luxurious lifestyles to a business culture that emphasizes profits above all else, it’s easy to get caught up in the belief that every action we take must be directly tied to financial gain.
But do you really need to get paid cash for everything you do? Is money the only objective worth pursuing? If it is, you might be selling yourself short.
What’s the Real Cost of Chasing Money?
There’s no denying that money is essential. We need it for food, housing, education, healthcare, and even for opportunities to grow and enjoy life. But when money becomes the sole objective, it can limit how you see your own worth and potential.
By focusing purely on cash transactions or financial rewards, you’re ignoring a wealth of experiences, skills, and relationships that can bring far greater value overall in your life.
Think about it—how many meaningful relationships, opportunities for learning, or deeply fulfilling experiences are lost when you put a price tag on every action? Money isn’t everything, and so, not everything you do should be measured by a price tag.
Money Isn’t Everything – The Benefits of Non-Monetary Rewards
Think of some of the things you love to do, and you would do anyway even if you don’t get paid for it. These could be anything from volunteering at a local charity, mentoring someone, pursuing a creative passion, or even spending time with family and friends.
Doing any of these things often carry intangible rewards, but they also contribute to your personal growth, mental well-being, and overall happiness. In fact, many of the most valuable things in life can’t be measured in dollars and cents.
Learning How to Do Things Myself and Give Things Away!
For example, as I built my t-shirt and accessories shop, I started getting asked from friends at church if I could make this or that and how much would it cost.
I started feeling bad that the only thing I could do was refer to them to my online shop and let them know that I don’t control the prices. It wasn’t long after that my husband suggested we invest in the equipment to start making t-shirts, tote bags, and mugs myself to sell at church at a reduced cost. Plus, my friends would get their things faster and pay no shipping.
And that’s what we did! First, my grandson and his wife got us a Cricut machine for Christmas! Then we invested in a heat press, then two printers that didn’t use up a ton of ink.
Now, at that time, I knew next to nothing about what I was getting into. Fortunately, there were a ton of top-notch YouTubers already doing this so I watched just about every tutorial there was so I could learn.
Blessing Others with What You Learn and Do
When I got better at doing crafts and designing, I made some things specifically to GIVE AWAY. I can’t express the “warm fuzzies” I felt when friends received their gifts and loved them! When I say ‘money isn’t everything,’ I mean it! No amount of cash could replace the feelings of appreciation for what I’d made.
I also started volunteering to do crafty things for church events. And if people insisted on paying me, I either refused the money or I took the cash and put it directly into the offerings box. I wasn’t doing this for money. I was doing it to ‘learn as I go’ and I felt God saying it was a way for me to bless others expecting nothing in return except Gratitude.
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More Reasons Why Money Isn’t Everything
Focusing on more than just money can enrich your life in many ways:
1. Personal Growth
Not every skill you develop or knowledge you gain will have an immediate financial return, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. Learning how to do new things and investing in yourself often leads to opportunities that may not be immediately obvious.
As an example, my husband is also very crafty, so about twice a year we design and put together raffle items for church events. I love putting together baskets with t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and journals to donate to the raffle tables. I make them as eye-catching as I know how so more people will buy tickets, which brings in more donations to the church.
I put my business cards inside of mugs and include a few to sit in front of the basket. Doing this has lead to more cash sales not just from friends at church, but from their friends who may not come to our church.
Or people will see what I’ve designed and created and ask if I can make them some too, especially if they didn’t win the raffle! I’ve had people ask me if I can recreate something they saw online. Personally, I wouldn’t pay $26 for a t-shirt that has a design on it, and I don’t expect my offline church friends to pay that either.
2. Money Isn’t Everything When It Comes to Deeper Relationships…
Especially when that relationship is with God. When you’re motivated by something beyond just money, your relationships tend to become more authentic. Whether it’s building trust with clients, colleagues, or personal friends, relationships based on shared goals, mutual respect, or genuine care tend to be more rewarding and long-lasting. These connections often open doors to future opportunities that money can’t buy.
3. Fulfillment and Purpose
After I lost my job due to medical issues, I often asked myself – What is my purpose now? What am I supposed to be doing with my life? A lot of people often find themselves feeling empty or unfulfilled, especially if they’ve lost their main source of income or they’ve recently retired.
Why? Because money, while it is important, it doesn’t always give you purpose. Doing things that align with your passions or values absolutely gives life a deeper meaning. Many of the most successful people have found that true fulfillment comes not from their bank balance but from doing something that they genuinely believe in.
4. Finding What Success Really Means to YOU
People who focus only on cash today may miss out on investments in themselves that could lead to far more significant opportunities in the future. I used to think my purpose was making a decent paycheck to raise my kids. As a single mom without child support, my purpose was making sure I had a paycheck coming in consistently.
Once the kids were grown and out on their own with their own kids, I really did feel ’empty,’ even though I still had a decent job. Then REAL LIFE happened and I was knocked down pretty hard by medical issues. Well, what do I do now?
I applied the skills I’d learned on the job and launched a couple of at-home businesses and did some subcontracting work as a writer and typist. Yes, that brought in some necessary cash, but I still felt rather depressed, like – anybody can do this. I’m not that important to anyone anymore.
Then I Turned 60 and Realized that Money Isn’t Everything
There I was, 60 years old, on permanent disability, and no job. I’d shut down my other at-home businesses due to increased medical issues. The online writing gigs dried up as well. So I learned about Print-On-Demand and launched an online shop. “Build it and they will come” is a lie. There is so much more to online marketing that some of these alleged “pros” will tell you!
But I persisted because I felt that this was what God was leading me to. Just hang in there and be patient, I felt He was telling me. And the more involved we got in our new church and building a new church family, the more blessed I felt!
5. Always – Always Pay It Forward!
If you define your own worth only by the amount of money you make, you reduce yourself to a commodity; you really limit yourself to being just a paycheck. You have talents, passions, and unique contributions to offer! And while these can translate into financial success eventually, they don’t always need to.
For example, I wanted to install stairclimbers in our two-level home because I was having difficulties doing steps. But that was a $15K price tag and we couldn’t qualify for the financing. Just be patient, I felt God was saying.
A few years later, as I started having more problems with my shoulders – they were taking the weight off my knees to use the stairs – and my husband saw a couple on Facebook Marketplace giving away two sets of stairclimbers! The bonus – they’d been installed in a house set up exactly like ours! That was a $15K savings!
In return, we had an expensive electric medical bed that we got used for my mother-in-law that we didn’t need since she went into a nursing home. We were going to sell it and I said to my husband – Wait! No! Give it away! I felt we needed to pay it forward now! Turned out there was a former high school friend of his who need the bed for his mother. There you go – it’s yours!
Finding the Balance Between Money and Personal Satisfaction
Obviously you can’t always give away everything. So while ‘Money Isn’t Everything,’ it doesn’t mean you should never expect to get paid for your work or skills. But balance is critical.
And while not everything has to come with a monetary reward, sometimes there’s more value in pursuing projects that enrich you in other ways—through personal satisfaction, the betterment of others, or the development of skills that can pay off in ways you can’t predict today.
Do You NEED to Get Paid Cash for Everything You Do?
No. Is money your only objective? It shouldn’t be. If it is, you’re selling yourself short. There’s a world of opportunities and experiences beyond just getting paid. Look for purpose, relationships, and personal growth, and the rewards, both monetary and otherwise, will follow.
