I grew up in a lower-middle-class family who always had trouble with the money. As a child, I believed that not having money is the biggest problem in the world. Whenever a festival or some occasion was around the corner, which required some extra cash, it always led to my parents saying “Bhagwan hai na dekhleyga.” And I wondered why we are not asking for a lot of money from Bhagwan like rich people rather than small installments.

While growing up, I realized we live in a world where wealth distribution is unequal, resulting in a specific group of people to have more access to things than others. Back then, if anybody asked me what you want to be when you grow up? My answer was pretty straightforward and constant; I want to be rich. I didn’t know the definition of being rich. Maybe someone with a full wallet of cash? Or who can buy anything? I had no clue!

Research shows that our childhood shapes our brains, resulting in our actions and perspectives about things in general. We all have heard stories of someone who became rich by working hard. As a 17-year-old, I don’t blame myself for not knowing the definition of working hard. The closest thing that came to my mind was to get a job early and start earning. My so-called eagerness to make money fast and get rich attracted me to get my first job right after my class 12th. After exams, when everyone I knew was planning for a trip or thinking about learning new things. I decided to look for a job. Also, I won’t lie that my family’s financial situation wasn’t one of the variables factored behind that motivation.

Still, in general, now, when I think about it, I had no intention back then to have a job for the experience or exposure; it was purely an instinct to earn money. I thought if I would make enough money in the next two months. I wouldn’t have to ask my parents for pocket money, and I could spend it on whatever I wanted. If you closely analyze this intention, some people may say you were right not to impose an extra burden on your parents for your pocket money instead of earning yourself. However, I choose money at that age rather than education or learning any new skill set. What happened, it made me participate in this eternal race of just earning money. Nevertheless, today I feel the most important thing to know and focus on at a young age is not chasing money instead of understanding the concept of money and how to spend it. You see, it doesn’t matter how much money you make in your life, but if you don’t have the concept of money and spending clear, you will always need more money.

When I started my research on money, I came across the 5000-year old “Barter System.” By definition, A barter system is an old method of exchange. This system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return. What baffled me the most about the barter system was that this system was in motion for centuries. I got curious about the journey we had from this system to today’s fiat currency, where we print the so-called money. In this new system, 36% of the world population lives below the poverty line ( extreme poverty); just over 50 percent of the world’s population, or some 3.8 billion people, live in households with enough discretionary expenditure be considered middle class. Only 1% of the world’s population currently holds over 44% of household wealth.

The majority of us make money in our adult life, I agree, not as compared to the millionaires or billionaires. Still, we all do make money and own a suitable life that comes with that earning capacity. I genuinely believe it’s not just how much money you make but also how you make money, how you invest your money, and how you spend your money defines which side of the table column you find your name. If you think about it, why don’t we have money as a subject in our school? I mean, if it’s all about that? Then shouldn’t we tell the kids the most important thing first?

I know what you are wondering! after learning about money, am I a millionaire now? No, I am not, not yet. It’s not because I don’t have the right information but because it’s not that easy for people like us who have had a very different understanding and fundamentals ingrained by our parents during childhood about the world, money, and how to make money. Along with education and information, there is a need for practice to reprogram our consciousness to make those changes in our personality, such as making decisions, developing the right mindset, and attracting the right energy. It’s a complete intellectual transformation to sense reality, especially about the money, and with the correct information, we can make few changes.

In this series, we will look at the global financial system from the last five thousand years. We will understand the difference between money and the currency and subconsciously how to reboot our spending habits by making the right choice “ there is a reason we have so many sales nowadays :). “ Also, we will continue through my journey and what all changes I had made in my life.

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