Personal aspirations or financial security or both...

Further to the question, 'if money was no object, where do you see yourself, what would you be doing in your life?' I received the following response from a dear friend whose answer is so honest and speaks thoughts that many of us identify with.

'I am a bit shamefaced about this but I haven't worked out longer term goals in life!!
In fact, I haven't even thought about it for awhile...I have been a bit short-term focused for awhile now and I know that's not great (ie how do you get anywhere if you don't know which direction you want to head in?)

But honestly, I have never been good at this stuff, I guess maybe because it implies a sense of control in life and predictability into the future that I don't have? Or I get a bit overwhelmed by all the choices/possibilities? A bit of both perhaps.


Certainly I think the technique of asking if money was no object, well, that's a good way to approach it (will think on it). Last time I asked myself that question my answer was to study sculpture and be an artist, but have since decided that money is an object(!) and that I want some sense of financial security.'

The struggle between personal aspiration and financial security has always played a big part of my life too...I wish I didn't have to be so focused on financial matters but I don't know how else I could support my loved ones.

I guess the way I deal with it is that I try to build things that channel my creative energies into every moment of my day as much as I can and as much as the restrictions of a structured working day allow...being a teacher allows me to release some of those sparks into my everyday environment... the outcomes aren't really quantifiable though and I'd love to be able to do more where I can look back and view the outcomes I have achieved...

I'd love to know how others make their personal aspirations come first before the issue of financial security. Can we all have the former without the latter or can't we? Perhaps we ought to be considering how they can coexist...