In a world where financial aspirations and achievements take center stage in our lives, taking the time to explore our beliefs and attitudes about wealth can be transformative. Recognizing the complex interplay of our money values, biases and emotions provides a unique opportunity for personal growth and self-reflection. To correct your attitude, you need to answer the wealth question.
quest for wealth
in her book We Must Talk: Memoirs About WealthJennifer Risher examines how her attitude to wealth and privilege changed after her husband’s stock options made her astronomically wealthy. (He was an early Microsoft employee.) Her personal reflections on the emotional complexities that come with wealth, privilege, and large financial resources are fascinating and provocative (and It’s a (sometimes spooky) story that really makes you think about yourself and your relationship with Microsoft. money.
There are a few instances where Mr. Richer felt too out of the ordinary. Is putting them in first class instead of private really a way to keep them grounded? But it probably says more about me than about her. All in all, I have to admire her search for answers about money, but how her own judgments and attitudes about wealth, and those values, affect my finances, big and small. will seriously consider how it influences their decisions.
Risher’s memoir is both a personal narrative and an exploration of broader cultural and economic issues related to wealth. She aims to start conversations about money and privilege that are often avoided and foster more open and honest dialogue on these topics.
In fact, the most interesting part of the book is the questions posed to the reader at the end of each chapter. These questions prompt readers to confront their feelings and attitudes toward money, while also addressing the responsibilities that come with substantial wealth.
These questions are summarized below.
87 thought-provoking questions about wealth and money
Below are a number of questions posed in Risher’s book. When considering these questions, it is tempting to assume that there is a “right” answer. there is no.
Your responses are intended to help you understand how and why you make certain decisions about money, and how and why you live your life the way you do. In fact, you may have no answers, only reflections and insights about yourself and your attitudes towards relationships and society.
These questions are clearly worth considering. Consider the following when reviewing these:
- Pay attention to what your brain is trying to tell you is the “right” answer and what your personal experience tells you. Compare the two.
- Consider printing and writing your answer.
- Discuss your answers with friends and family.
- Consider how your reaction will affect the way you live your life.
- Consider the opposite perspective, especially for questions that have immediate answers. Could you discuss it from another point of view?
- Consider the following questions and see if you can change your financial choices and how you spend your time.
beliefs about wealth
What does wealth mean to you? Is it the balance in a particular bank account or something? (Reader opinions on this topic are: Are you wealthy? 19 definitions of wealth.) What does your definition tell you about how you make decisions?
What do you believe about people with a lot of money? Are these positive emotions, negative emotions, or both?
do you have enough money Is there an amount of magic that you feel is enough? How do you know when you have enough?
are you wealthy do you want to be
Questions about wealth and relationships
Does money affect your friendships?
Do you judge people based on their financial decisions? Do you feel judged by others?
Do you talk about money and salary with your co-workers?
Do you think your relationships would change if people knew how much money you had?
How does money connect or disconnect you from other people?
Have you ever given or received money from a family member? How did that make you feel?
Have you ever run into money problems with your siblings? What do your siblings think about your financial situation?
How has money affected your relationship with your parents?
Have you ever shopped or spent money to keep in touch with a friend? Why?
Do you talk about money with friends and family? Why or why not? (Find 10 reasons why talking about money can improve your future)
sense of wealth and self-identity
Does how much money you have affect how you see yourself? How do other people see you?
Are you trying to make it look like you have more money (or less) than you really do? Why?
Has your socioeconomic status changed throughout your life? Did that change change the way you see yourself?
Is how you spend your money aligned with your values?
Do you think your gender influences how you see money?
Is your self-worth and identity related to the amount of money you have?
Do you think wealth changes a person or reveals who they are?
Why does money cause you to behave badly?
wealth and personal achievements
How has your personal background influenced your success?
Do you attribute your successes and failures (financial or otherwise) to circumstances, luck, choices, or talents?
Do you empathize with your work? What do you get from your job besides your salary? How would you define yourself if you weren’t working?
What role does money play in motivation?
Wealth, upbringing, and parenting choices (if you’re a parent)
What are your first money memories? What emotions did they contain?
What were your childhood beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about money? What beliefs did you let go of? What are you holding on to?
What are your biggest worries about money and children?
What attitudes and behaviors would you like your children to develop when it comes to money?
If you received pocket money as a child or gave it to a child, what do you think you could learn from that experience? Are there any pros and cons?
What are your experiences with work and parenting? Did some take precedence over others? What role did money play in your decision-making? How did you negotiate parenting and money?
What do you think is spoiling children?
If you are a parent, how has wealth affected you in your relationships with other parents? Were these experiences positive or negative?
wealth and charitable giving
If you have wealth, have you ever helped someone make an important gift? Why or why not?
If you have donated, have you talked about what you have done with others? Why or why not?
What did you learn about giving as a child? Has your attitude towards giving changed? If so, how and why?
Are you giving enough now? What does enough mean in this context? Do you consider yourself generous?
Does peer pressure affect your giving?
What do you get when you give? What keeps you giving or stops giving again?
wealth and society
The media is full of examples of exorbitant wealth. Have you tried to follow these examples? Do you know anyone who does?
What is your attitude towards income inequality? Do you think people as a whole would be happier if there were not so much difference in income levels across society, or even in your own community?
Do you have people working from home (cleaners, gardeners, etc.)? What is your relationship with them? Do you try to hide what you have?
If you can pay more for your services, should you?
How has your experience of public or private education from kindergarten through high school been affected, for better or worse, by wealth?
What is the “right” level of wealth for the majority of people?
What does wealth make possible?
What problems would money solve in your life?
What problems has having money caused in your life?
Have you ever given up all your money in exchange for a different outcome?
What does it mean to feel rich?
How has money improved your life?
Where has money failed to improve your life?
What would you do if you had all the money in the world? (Is there a way to do it with what you have now?)
Use wealth reflection to make better decisions and plan for a better future
Reflecting on your attitude towards wealth will help you align your financial decisions with your core values, understand your biases, and overcome money issues with greater mindfulness and wisdom. Masu. It leads to a more holistic and enriched approach to financial management.
Take what you’ve learned about yourself from the questions above and apply it to your financial planning:
- spending pattern
- work and earn money
- risk tolerance
- Long-term plans and goals
Run a scenario in the NewRetirement Planner to see the impact of your changes.
