What is money at its essence??

“Money is not peace of mind. Money’s not happiness.
Money is, at its essence that measure of a man’s choices.”
Ozark, opening monologue.

Scratch.
Wampum.
Dough.
Sugar.
Clams.
Loot.
Bills.
Bones.
Bread.
Bucks.
Money.
That which separates the haves from the have-nots.
But what is money? It’s everything if you don’t have it, right? Half of all American adults have more credit card debt than savings.
25% have no savings at all.
And only 15% of the population is on track to fund even one year of retirement.
Suggesting what? The middle class is evaporating? Or the American Dream is dead? You wouldn’t be sitting there listening to me if the latter were true.
You see, I think most people just have a fundamentally flawed view of money.
Is it simply an agreed-upon unit of exchange for goods and services? $3.
70 for a gallon of milk? Thirty bucks to cut your grass? Or is it an intangible? Security or happiness.
Peace of mind.
Let me propose a third option.
Money as a measuring device.
You see, the hard reality is how much money we accumulate in life is not a function of who’s president or the economy or bubbles bursting or bad breaks or bosses.
It’s about the American work ethic.
The one that made us the greatest country on Earth.
It’s about bucking the media’s opinion as to what constitutes a good parent.
Deciding to miss the ball game, the play, the concert, because you’ve resolved to work and invest in your family’s future.
And taking responsibility for the consequences of those actions.
Patience.
Frugality.
Sacrifice.
When you boil it down, what do those three things have in common? – [grunts and pants] – Those are choices.
Money is not peace of mind.
Money’s not happiness.
Money is, at its essence that measure of a man’s choices.