Steven

And I am more independent because of it. So I view, again, my top financial goal by far, and I think this is true for most people, whether they know it or not, what they really want out of money is independence and autonomy and is being able to do things on their own terms, live the life that they want to live. And I view the oxygen of independence is savings.

And I am more independent because of it. So I view, again, my top financial goal by far, and I think this is true for most people, whether they know it or not, what they really want out of money is independence and autonomy and is being able to do things on their own terms, live the life that they want to live. And I view the oxygen of independence is savings.

Yeah. Debt is a piece of your future that somebody else owns. It's the polar opposite of it. When you go into debt, you're saying three years from now, this company owns a part of my time. They own my labor in the future. And savings is the opposite. Savings is in the future. I have this stored up. I have this consumption stored up in the future. I can do whatever I want with it.

Yeah. Debt is a piece of your future that somebody else owns. It's the polar opposite of it. When you go into debt, you're saying three years from now, this company owns a part of my time. They own my labor in the future. And savings is the opposite. Savings is in the future. I have this stored up. I have this consumption stored up in the future. I can do whatever I want with it.

Yeah. I think the most important is there are two topics in life that will impact you whether you like them or not. That's health and money. It doesn't matter if you're not interested in those topics. Those topics are interested in you and they will impact your life. You can have a wonderful life not knowing anything about chemistry or meteorology if you don't care about those topics.

Yeah. I think the most important is there are two topics in life that will impact you whether you like them or not. That's health and money. It doesn't matter if you're not interested in those topics. Those topics are interested in you and they will impact your life. You can have a wonderful life not knowing anything about chemistry or meteorology if you don't care about those topics.

You cannot have a good life if you don't care about money and health. And that's true for everybody everywhere. And so I think everyone has an obligation to understand their own relationship with money. Now, some people are going to be fanatics about it and other people just view money as just kind of like a necessary tool that they need to get through life. But you have to understand

You cannot have a good life if you don't care about money and health. And that's true for everybody everywhere. And so I think everyone has an obligation to understand their own relationship with money. Now, some people are going to be fanatics about it and other people just view money as just kind of like a necessary tool that they need to get through life. But you have to understand

how it works and what it's doing to you financially and psychologically. And so much of modern ills have to do with envy, jealousy, feel like you're falling behind relative to other people. The core of that is usually financial. And so even if you're not the kind of person who's like, I don't care about the stock market and like, I don't really care that much about money.

how it works and what it's doing to you financially and psychologically. And so much of modern ills have to do with envy, jealousy, feel like you're falling behind relative to other people. The core of that is usually financial. And so even if you're not the kind of person who's like, I don't care about the stock market and like, I don't really care that much about money.

I like having fun with my friends. That's great. But there is a huge component of sociology and just what's going on in the world all the time. that is financial. And I think money is like such an interesting window into people's lives.

I like having fun with my friends. That's great. But there is a huge component of sociology and just what's going on in the world all the time. that is financial. And I think money is like such an interesting window into people's lives.

You can learn so much about somebody if you understand what they do with their money, how they think about money, how much they talk about money, how much they want to show off, how much attention they're putting into their clothes and their cars and their jewelry. to show other people how much money that they have. You learn so much about someone's psychology.

You can learn so much about somebody if you understand what they do with their money, how they think about money, how much they talk about money, how much they want to show off, how much attention they're putting into their clothes and their cars and their jewelry. to show other people how much money that they have. You learn so much about someone's psychology.

You know, if I learned about your politics, I don't know what they are, but if I learned about your politics, I might learn something about you. But if I sat down and I said, tell me everything about your money. Tell me how much you make, how much you spend. What do you value? What do you want to do? I'd learn so much about your personality.

You know, if I learned about your politics, I don't know what they are, but if I learned about your politics, I might learn something about you. But if I sat down and I said, tell me everything about your money. Tell me how much you make, how much you spend. What do you value? What do you want to do? I'd learn so much about your personality.

I think less about trauma. That's a component of it. But more so, it's just that we are all prisoners of our unique past, no matter what that is. That's trauma for a lot of people, different forms of trauma. But you grew up in a different country than I did. You have different parents than I do, different values. We're slightly different ages.

I think less about trauma. That's a component of it. But more so, it's just that we are all prisoners of our unique past, no matter what that is. That's trauma for a lot of people, different forms of trauma. But you grew up in a different country than I did. You have different parents than I do, different values. We're slightly different ages.

And so you saw a different side of the world than I did. And that taught you different values. It taught you to aspire to different things than I did. And you and I, in a lot of ways, are a lot alike. I think if we sat down and talked about broader topics, we'd agree on 90% of things. But we are different. And so we shouldn't pretend that what I want to do with my money is what you should do.

And so you saw a different side of the world than I did. And that taught you different values. It taught you to aspire to different things than I did. And you and I, in a lot of ways, are a lot alike. I think if we sat down and talked about broader topics, we'd agree on 90% of things. But we are different. And so we shouldn't pretend that what I want to do with my money is what you should do.