Money Is Objective. Money Is Subjective. Money Is Perspective.
Most conversations about money focus on numbers. How much we earn. How much we spend. How much we save. How much we owe.
Money is often presented as though it is entirely mathematical, something that can be neatly understood through spreadsheets, bank balances and financial plans. Whilst those things are undoubtedly important, they only tell part of the story.
The longer I have worked with people and businesses, the more I have come to realise that money operates on three different levels simultaneously.
Money is objective.
Money is subjective.
Money is perspective.
The objective part is the easiest to understand. Money exists. It can be counted, measured, transferred and exchanged. It pays mortgages, buys groceries, funds businesses and supports families. The face value of money is what it is - a £20 note is a £20 note. Whether we like it or not, money is present in almost every aspect of modern life.
This is the side of money that financial advisers, accountants and economists spend most of their time discussing. It is factual, measurable and real.
Yet if money were purely objective, everybody would feel the same way about it.
They do not.
Two people can earn exactly the same salary, let’s say £40,000 per annum and yet they experience their financial lives completely differently. One feels secure and optimistic. The other feels anxious and overwhelmed. One feels grateful for what they have. The other feels they are constantly falling behind.
The numbers may be identical, but the experience is entirely different.
This is because money is also subjective.
Every one of us develops beliefs about money throughout our lives. We absorb them from our families, our communities, our education and our experiences. Some people grow up believing money is scarce and difficult to earn. Others grow up believing money creates freedom and opportunity. Some associate wealth with success. Others associate it with stress, greed or responsibility.
Over time, those beliefs become the lens through which we view every financial decision we make.
The money itself remains the same. What changes is the meaning we attach to it.
Then there is the third dimension: perspective.
This is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of all.
Many people spend years chasing a number they believe will finally make them feel financially comfortable. Yet the goalposts often move. A larger salary leads to a larger house. A larger house creates larger commitments. A successful business creates new pressures and responsibilities.
The destination that once seemed so important somehow never quite delivers the feeling we expected it would.
Part of the reason for this is that money is often viewed through comparison. There will always be somebody earning more, spending more, owning more or appearing more successful. If our sense of financial wellbeing depends on measuring ourselves against other people, we can spend a lifetime feeling inadequate regardless of how much money we actually have.
I have met people with relatively modest incomes who feel wealthy because they have security, purpose and peace of mind. I have also met people with significant wealth who remain deeply anxious about money and fearful of losing what they have built.
The difference is rarely found solely in the bank account.
It is found in an individual’s life perspective.
This is why money confidence is about far more than financial knowledge alone.
Money confidence comes from understanding how money works in practical terms, whilst also becoming aware of the beliefs, assumptions and comparisons that influence our relationship with it. It comes from recognising that money is a useful tool rather than a measure of personal worth.
When we understand that money is objective, subjective and perspective all at the same time, we can stop viewing money as a source of constant anxiety and start seeing it for what it really is: a resource that can be managed thoughtfully and confidently.
And this is where genuine financial wellbeing begins.
Staff Money Confidence Workshops
Financial worries affect far more than bank balances. They influence confidence, wellbeing, concentration, decision-making and performance at work.
Ogilvie Advisory delivers practical and engaging Money Confidence Workshops designed to help employees develop a healthier, calmer and more confident relationship with money. Combining financial understanding with self-awareness and practical life skills, these sessions help people feel more in control of their finances and less overwhelmed by them.
If you would like to support employee wellbeing through Money Confidence Workshops, arrange an exploratory conversation with Ogilvie Advisory.
