The depth of a coaches understanding and curiosity around any topic of interest, will provide a higher probability of better processes and outcomes for their clients. To find a coach with a genuine interest in an area that you want to further explore, can be very powerful in combination with a competent coaching approach.
Why? Asking better questions often comes with understanding the topic being discussed.
This post simply asks - as a starting point - What is going on with money and why does it matter?
Note that this post primarily offers a series of questions and statements - not answers - that invite the reader to ponder or research further if they choose? Welcome to coaching!
I am a curious person by nature. So much about life interests me. This is what makes me a better coach. In terms of money, I am very interested in understanding what money is, why it matters, and how understanding it can help you secure your future.
The questions and statements below are related to money/currency/cash - whatever or however you refer to it or understand it.
To keep learning and understanding in life, the key is to keep asking - and finding - better questions. Do this, and the quality of your understanding, and your life, will improve.
Lets look at some questions around what is money:
- Is money or 'cash' (aka 'government backed' fiat currency -that is not backed by anything… it's paper) appreciating in value or is it depreciating in value?
- How much has my country (any country will do) debased my 'cash' currency in the last 18 months by borrowing and printing more of it?
- How much has this decreased the purchasing power of the remaining dollars I do have?
- How much money am I losing (ie: minimal interest, fees, inflation) while my cash is in the bank?
- Why is my money in the bank anyway, and would my time and money be better spent taking the time to research other options perhaps?
- What is the 'real' inflation rate, and is this impacting the value of the cash I have that is losing value and not getting any interest in the banks/institutions that penalise me for lending my money to them that they now possess and that they tell me when I can access it?
- Do I know what 'bail out' and 'bail in' means in relation to banks and government policy, and how might that impact my cash held in a bank in the event of 'another' financial crash/crisis? (New Zealand is a good place to start to research bail in and bail out policy).
- If I keep focusing on the money I have 'in cash terms' will that increase my wealth or decrease my wealth and the purchasing power of my cash for me and my family?
- Based on the unsustainable - and growing - levels of debt in the global economy, do I think that my cash is going to be protected - or not taxed further - to address the increasing levels of debt in the economy?
- Ask yourself where you think the trend is going in relation to your money and the ever increasing levels of debt, money printing, government backed asset/inflation initiatives (see stock markets/real estate valuations) that on the surface appear to be increasing your net worth… but are actually doing the opposite.
- Am I giving more of my time to buy/live the life I want? Am I a time slave? (see quote below)
- If your money is losing purchasing power, and your dollars are not worth as much as they were last month - let alone last year - then your assets are made up of the dollars that are losing the value that is making them look like they are more valuable.
Of course there are many, many more questions you can ask that will lead you closer towards understanding 'what is money and why does it matter', and the more you ask, the closer you will get to what you are looking for.
"The road to serfdom is working exponentially harder for a currency growing exponentially weaker."
- Michael Saylor
Some of us cannot - and will not - be open enough, willing enough, and inspired enough, to suspend our disbelief long enough to look beyond the powerful mainstream narratives that bind us to old world systems and broken structures and eroding global currencies..
The result of not being curious? It may cost people their wealth, their health, and their independence.
And what about the questions surrounding access to money from banking institutions?
The issue isn't so much about access to cash from banks, it's what is the actual value of the cash that is being held by banks that control the money I have.
Either way it's not a good outcome.
As always, stay curious. Keep open to opportunities. And keep asking better questions!