living is about what you do, not what you have

This bit of wisdom comes from Jacob over at earlyretirementextreme.com.

Its that time again....to talk about...dun dun dun...the Budget! Every few months we reevaluate how we are doing things and what we are actually spending money on and how we can make better use of our small incomes and savings.

So, since I've had my mind on my money, money on my mind....I've been checking out the blogosphere and have stumbled upon lots of financial beauties. The site above is very interesting. This guy has retired in his early thirties. No, he didn't win the lottery and he never made a six-figure income. Wonder how he did it? Check out his blog.

He is pretty 'extreme', but he has some very interesting social/cultural ideals and thoughts on life in general, especially as a consumer in one of the worlds richest countries.

He does some crazy things (living in a RV) but explains them in a way that makes you think, "Shoot, I should be doing that too".

This has led to a little research, and lots of reflection on my part....

What is happiness in this short life?

What does 'living well' mean to me?

What choices can I make to improve my quality of life?

Do I need all this 'stuff'?

When is it worth it to go into debt?

Do we have to follow the social 'norms' about work and retirement?

Can we really change how we think?

What do I ultimately value?

What is the purpose of work?

What defines me as a person?

What exactly does 'providing for your family' entail?

How can I resist the 'worldy' temptations of luxury, instant gratification, competition, etc.?

It's no wonder our church leaders have been counseling us for decades on provident living.

As we discuss these things...we think about our plans for the future. What kind of people do we want to be? Can we learn to think about money in a different way? Can we base our monthly success on reaching savings goals, instead of spending caps? Can we find jobs that allow us to make money for the things we need but allow us to spend time doing the things we love?

What do you think? Read this short story from Mark Albion:

A few years ago, a very rich businessman decides to take a vacation to a small tropical island in the South Pacific. He has worked hard all his life and has decided that now is the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He is excited about visiting the island because he’s heard that there is incredible fishing there. He loved fishing as a young boy, but hasn’t gone in years because he has been so busy working to save for his retirement.

So on the first day, he has his breakfast and heads to the beach. It’s around 9:30 am. There he spots a fisherman coming in with a large bucket full of fish!

“How long did you fish for?” he asks. The fisherman looks at the businessman with a wide grin across his face and explains that the fishes for about three hours every day. The businessman then asks him why he returned so quickly.

“Don’t worry”, says the fisherman, “There’s still plenty of fish out there.”

Dumbfounded, the businessman asks the fisherman why he didn’t continue catching more fish. The fisherman patiently explains that what he caught is all he needs. “I’ll spend the rest of the day playing with my family, talking with my friends and maybe drinking a little wine. After that I’ll relax on the beach.”

Now the rich businessman figures he needs to teach this peasant fisherman a thing or two. So he explains to him that he should stay out all day and catch more fish. Then he could save up the extra money he makes and buy and even bigger boats to catch even more fish. The he could keep reinvesting his profits in even more boats and hire many other fisherman to work for him. If he works really hard, in 20 or 30 years he’ll be a very rich man indeed.

The businessman feels pleased that he’s helped teach this simple fellow how to become rich. Then the fisherman looks at the businessman with a puzzled look on his face and asks what he’ll do after he becomes very rich.

The businessman responds quickly “You can spend time with your family, talk with your friends, and maybe drink a little wine. Or you could just relax on the beach.”

Personally, I can see both sides. The fisherman and the businessman. How do you balance leisure and accomplishment? Obviously one person's definition of 'success' or 'happiness' is very different than the next.

Thoughts?