Travis Shelton at Meaning Over Money

If you only read one of my pieces this week, please make it this one!! This is the one.

“Uh oh! One sentence in yesterday's post has triggered a firestorm. It was this one: "Their standard of living will likely fall off a cliff, but their quality of life should prosper."………

Quality is Quality — Travis Shelton By nearly every measure, we have a higher standard of living today than at any time in the history of our civilized world. More people have access to medical care, internet, cars, cell phones, internet, air conditioning, and indoor heating than ever. Houses are bigger, transportation more prominent,

My life changed 650 days ago. In an effort to become a better writer and impact thousands of people, I decided to start a daily blog. The mission was simple: In 500 words or less, provide my readers with a short but powerful jolt to start their day that's encouraging, inspiring, and/or educational. Something to think about. Something to ponder. Something to confirm that you can, in fact, run through a brick wall.

This journey has changed my life. I've grown as a writer, met people from all over the world whom I'm grateful to now call my friends, and it's hopefully moving the needle in people's lives.

Below (in the comments) is a link to today's post. Some people come to my website to read, but most choose to subscribe (free!) to my daily e-mails that hit their inbox at around 6AM CST. If you like what you see, there's a sign-up link at the bottom of the article.

Hope you enjoy!

People's opinions matter. Their wisdom is valuable. We should seek out the insight of those we trust.

But ultimately, we need to make the best decision for our family......even if it's the opposite of what culture says is right.

If you want what everyone else has, do what they do. If you want the opposite of what everyone else has, do the opposite. Ultimately, it comes down to values.....your values.

I recently had a drink with my friend who once told me I was stupid for leaving my previous career. We had a great time. Lots of reminiscing and lots of laughs. In the middle of the chat, he added, "You did the right thing." I'm not sure I needed that from him, but I think I needed that from him. He wasn't trying to insult me way back when. He was just viewing my situation through the lens of his values. Looking back, it's clear to him I made the right choice for my values.

Follow meaning, even if it's hard. No, strike that. Especially if it's hard.

We are here to serve. Simply put, this is the base calling in our life. We can, of course, choose to ignore it, refuse it, or turn our back on it.

Our days are a never-ending string of serving opportunities. Our spouse, kids, co-workers, clients, customers, neighbors, and even strangers. Nearly every interaction in our life is an opportunity to serve others.

I could most certainly wake up each day with the objective of getting what I want for myself.

The posture of service, on the other hand, is an immensely fulfilling way to live. We might not always get what we want by continually serving others, but we actually get something better: meaning, impact, and purpose.

That's the irony of service. We get fed by feeding others.

Sometimes, it's not our job that's the problem. In many situations, it's our perspective of our job. Even if our job doesn't fully line up with our passions and aspirations, there's still meaning to be found in it.

I'll share a few simple ways we can create fulfillment in an unfulfilling job:

- We use our time (and resulting income) to help propel ourselves to where we really want to be. It gives a dead-end situation a purpose.

- We embrace our relationships on the job. Even in the worst jobs, some of those relationships can be blessings.

- We focus on the impact we're making. Sure, the work might suck, but we still have an opportunity to serve others and make a difference. That matters!

- We use it as an opportunity to gain more experience, skills, and momentum.

- We get to use the income from the job to care for our family and move the financial needle in our lives. Our hard work is not in vain!

Yes, I think you should leave a job you tolerate or hate. I'll die on that hill. In the meantime, finding fulfillment in an otherwise unfulfilling situation is possible.

Don't let the meaning slip away.

Do you know how much it costs to buy a Build-A-Bear stuffed animal? Far more than a stuffed animal should cost.

However, you aren't really buying a stuffed animal.

From the moment you walk into their store until the moment you walk out, you're led through a curated experience to create a lasting memory.

People can criticize Build-A-Bear all they want, but that company understands something vitally important.

Their value proposition is far more than the physical object they are selling.

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What are you really selling? We're all selling something.

Maybe you sell coffee like my friend TJ at Northern Vessel. Or maybe you train basketball players like my friend Anna Dhamer. Or maybe you sell insurance like my friend Ben. Or maybe you raise your kids like my wife Sarah.

Whatever you do, look one layer deeper. Instead of coffee, TJ really sells smiles and hospitality. Instead of training, Anna helps young ladies develop confidence and momentum. Instead of insurance, Ben really sells peace of mind. Instead of "just staying home" (I hate that phrase!), Sarah is molding the next generation of leaders.

Know what you're selling, and sell what matters.

I hear this all the time, "It's impossible to attend college without student loans."

In my work, student loan debt is one of the top factors ripping people's lives apart.

Student loans are the only debt that's non-bankruptable. The only way out is to die. That doesn't feel like "good" debt to me.

Studentloans are torching people's ability to live a meaningful life. Instead of pursuing work that matters, people must pursue work that pays their inflated bills. All the while, they are delaying other key life events such as marriage, kids, and retirement investing.

It's easy to blame people for their student loan debt, but they were only 17 or 18 when these decisions were made. The blame primarily lies on the parents.

Parents don't trust their teens to stay at home alone for the weekend, but the very next day, they trust their kids to freely make a life-altering decision that will implode their financial life for decades. It doesn't make sense!

Kids deserve better. Luckily, better is available.

Yes, college is expensive. There's no way around that. The cultural narrative is that the only way to go to college is via student loans. It's a lie.

I'm not saying it's easy, but it's 100% attainable for most families. I've coached hundreds of parents through this process, and countless kids/families are actually doing it!

We have the power to change the narrative....and give our kids a better future.

We think we’re buying plane tickets, but we’re really buying memories.

We think we’re buying a college degree, but we’re really buying credibility.

We think we’re buying an app or software, but we’re really buying time and efficiency.

We think we’re buying a babysitter when we go on a date night, but we’re really investing in our marriage.

No matter what we spend money on, we're buying more than what we can see on the surface. It's a constant reminder that money is never about money.....it's always about something deeper. When we understand this about ourselves, we'll make better decisions and create more meaning in our finances.

Today was the 462nd consecutive day publishing my short-form blog.....and according to our daily readers, this one hit particularly hard. At the encouragement of a trusted friend, I'm sharing this one with an even wider audience. I hope it blesses your day.

Interested in having these delivered right to your inbox each morning? Just pop in your e-mail address (in the pop-up or at the top of the main blog page), and you'll begin receiving them the very next day.

Life is Short — Travis Shelton In the span of 24 hours, I received news of three people passing away far too soon. They were in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. It was sad, and it hit a little too close to home. In the aftermath of these tragic developments, I was talking to a friend about it, and they shared a commonly-believed sentimen

Generosity always wins.

It's true that when we give money away, we have less money. That's a mathematical fact.

Those who give generously will most likely have less money in the months, years, and decades to come. However, they will be far richer.

They will have more joy, more peace, more impact, more contentment, and more meaning. It's an immensely worthwhile trade-off.

We can have the money, or we can have what really matters.

"Am I excited to go home?"

Vacations are an excellent barometer for life. If we're vacationing well, we should be creating lifelong memories. But at some point, it comes to an end. And when it does, we'll soon transition back to our normal day-to-day life. When that happens, what goes through your mind?

"Am I excited to go home?" The answer can and should be telling. If we need to escape our life in order to get through our life, it's a sign that something needs to change.

Yes, vacations should be amazing. But vacations aren't life. They are what we do when we temporarily pause life. And the consequence of pausing is that we eventually need to unpause.

We can temporarily leave our life, but we can't escape it.

Next time you're on vacation, ask yourself this question. If you don't like the answer, maybe it's time to make a change.

I had to cancel on our babysitter 90 minutes before she showed up.

Without wanting to disrespect the babysitter by pulling the rug from underneath her, I found a workable solution.

I Venmo'd her the same amount of money we would have paid her for her babysitting duties.

On one hand, we didn't owe her anything. She didn't actually spend her time babysitting. She didn't earn it. However, she did clear her plate for the evening and made a commitment to us.

Paying her was the right thing to do.....period.

When we operate our finances this way, we remove all doubt about motives, reasoning, and justifications. It builds trust. It creates goodwill. It shows the other side that we respect them.

Doing the right thing has surely cost me thousands of dollars over the years, but it's an absolute no-brainer. Doing the right thing is always the right thing.

As I was sipping on my Spanish Latte at Northern Vessel, and watching other people enjoy theirs, I realized none of us merely paid for coffee.

Sure, we did receive and enjoy a killer cup of coffee. But what we really paid for was hospitality, community, and a feeling.

We can get a cup of coffee anywhere, and I often do. I make coffee at home each morning, and I frequent many different copy shops around my metro. Each one offers a different experience. Some offer a bland experience, some offer a bad experience, and some offer something worth investing in.

Yes, the coffee matters. Nobody wants to pay for crap coffee. However, at the heart of it, especially when done well, it’s not really about the coffee.

It’s about how the experience, staff, and product make us feel.

So many components of our work are out of our control.

We can't control whether or not our boss gives us the promotion we deserve. We can't control if our co-worker did their piece of the project. On the flip side, we can control how hard we work, how we treat our colleagues and customers, and what value we add to the organization.

For every 1,000 things we can't control, there are 1,000 things we can.

Ignore the former and embrace the latter.

A few people recently asked this question, so I suspect others may be wondering as well. Yes, my Daily Meaning blog is free. Yes, it can be delivered by email. And yes, it’s easy to sign up.

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Studies show that 4PM on Sunday is the most depressing hour of the week.

And considering 70% of Americans dislike or hate their job, the mere thought of Monday makes most people cringe. Some refer to it as the Sunday Scaries.

Good news: If 70% of Americans dislike or hate their job, that means 30% like or love their job!

And if they do, so can you!

I hope you get to a point in life where Monday is your favorite day of the week. A life where weekends are fun, but Mondays are full of promise, meaning, and impact.

That reality does exist. I promise you that.

In order to attain it, we typically must stop pursuing more. More money, more stuff, and more status. It doesn't mean we'll be poor or have little; rather, it means we're chasing after something different....something better: Work that matters.

We recently celebrated the 7-year anniversary of bringing those two little 4-week-olds home. It’s typically called “gotcha day” in the adoption world, but we just call it the day we became a family. ⁠
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About 13 years ago, my wife and I entered the most painful season of our lives. The battle of infertility was heavy upon us. ⁠
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We were surrounded by countless people who loved us dearly, yet we were suffering in silence. This was our fork. We could either continue to bear this weight alone or allow others to carry some of this weight and be there to support us. We chose the latter. We chose transparency.⁠
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What came from that experience was absolutely life-changing. We were in the midst of the most painful season of our lives, yet experiencing the beauty of true community. We suffered, but we weren't alone. Every step of the way, people were there to pick us up when we couldn't.⁠
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One of the most powerful moments of my life was sitting through church service on Father's Day, just two days after losing a child that would have made me a dad. It was arguably the worst day of my life. I could have stayed home and hid, but I needed my church family.⁠
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Family cuts both ways. On the one hand, they are there to mourn with you. But on the other hand, they are there to celebrate with you, too. Just four months later, we became parents to two beautiful baby boys. Our church family was right beside us, celebrating like it was their own. I couldn't believe how happy everyone was. It was almost like these children were theirs......and in a way, they were. It's a true love I hope my kids someday recognize.⁠
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Don't wait alone!

"She deserves it."

These are my friend's words as he explained why he should sell his house and buy something better. By better, I mean 5,000+ sq ft, indoor basketball court, amazing pool, private movie theater.

"She deserves it." By "she," he was referring to his wife, and by "it," he was referring to one of the nicest houses you'll ever see.

They can absolutely buy this house if they want to. There's nothing inherently evil about doing so. But where does deservedness come into play?

When I think about my life, my family, and my journey, I don't think I deserve anything.

I'm grateful for everything we have, but never in a million years would I take the posture that I deserve any of it.

Yes, we work hard, but that doesn't mean I deserve it.
Yes, we've made wise choices, but that doesn't mean I deserve it.
Yes, I can afford some things, but that doesn't mean I deserve it.

But to deserve a massive house nicer than 99% of people in this country (or 99.99% of people worldwide)? That one bugged me.

While we're on the topic of deservedness, I have a few alternative ideas. Here's a short list of people who deserve something:
People all around the world who barely get enough food to survive.
Single moms fighting to make ends meet, barely hanging on.
Abused, neglected, and abandoned children who don't have guardians who love them.
Traffic victims who are ripped away from their lives and forced into a sick and twisted reality.
_______________ (your example here).

We have options. Sure, we can buy that huge house we want but absolutely don't deserve. That's on the table. Or we can use the resources we're blessed with to serve others, who deserve dignity.

What are you doing for lunch on Wednesday? If you’re free, I’ll be giving a keynote talk at the Ankeny Young Professionals event. 12-1. The cost is $15, which includes lunch. I’d love to see you there! You can sign up at the link below.

https://web.ankeny.org/events/AYPLunch%20%20Learn-5673/details

Have you signed up yet? My next keynote is coming up on Wednesday, October 11th, in Ankeny, IA. It's from Noon-1PM. Cost is $15, which includes lunch. It's going to be a great event, and I'd love to see you there!

Sign up here: https://web.ankeny.org/events/AYPLunch%20%20Learn-5673/details