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It’s Just Money: The Advice My Father Gave Me That Changed Everything

So many of you have heard stories about my father over the years whether on this podcast, on this blog, or inside The Work Optional Blueprint. But after my dad passed away just a few weeks ago, there’s one piece of advice he gave me that hasn’t stopped echoing in my head.

And it’s not the story most people expect.

My father was a saver. A hardcore, penny-pinching saver. Raised in a post-Depression mindset, he believed safety came from saving everything possible. He bought things on sale, avoided debt at all costs, and worked for decades with the belief that if he just saved enough, he’d eventually be okay.

But the advice that’s stuck with me the most didn’t come from his saving habits.

It came during one of the hardest financial seasons of my life.

“It’s Just Money”

Years ago, I was going through a divorce. I was stressed, overwhelmed, and worried about finances. During a phone call with my dad, he said something completely unexpected:

“Chris, it’s just money. You can always make more.”

Coming from a man who worried constantly about losing money, that advice caught me off guard. But it also gave me peace. It reframed everything. And now, years later, after he’s gone, those words feel heavier and more important than ever.

The Irony of a Lifetime of Saving

Here’s the hard truth.

Despite saving for decades, my father didn’t have the retirement most people dream of. When I sat across from him at his kitchen table years ago this time as his financial advisor I realized something painful: he didn’t actually have enough money to retire comfortably.

Market downturns had wiped out a chunk of his savings. Inflation quietly eroded the rest.

And because all of his money was locked inside traditional retirement accounts, there weren’t many good options left.

He worked until his health wouldn’t allow it anymore. He got a few decent years of retirement but far fewer than he deserved. And toward the end of his life, he ran out of money entirely. That was never what he wanted. He never wanted to be a burden. Yet that’s exactly where decades of “just save more” ultimately led.

Money Is a Tool, Not the Goal

Here’s what I want you to hear clearly.

Money is not the goal.

Money is a tool.

Money is a medium of exchange for value.

You’re born with nothing. You leave with nothing. Everything in between is stewardship.

Saving money without intention doesn’t create freedom. Accumulating money without using it to improve your life doesn’t create wealth. And stressing over money doesn’t create more of it.

What does create money is value.

When I stopped asking, “How do I make more money?” and started asking, “How do I solve more problems and serve more people?” money became easier. It became lighter. It flowed instead of feeling scarce.

The Trap of Delayed Living

One of the most painful realizations for me was this: my dad delayed his life in hopes of someday enjoying it.

Someday came late and left early.

He held onto things “just in case.” He saved for a future that never fully arrived. And while he did his best with what he knew, it reinforced something I believe deeply now:

Don’t wait to live your life.

Don’t postpone joy.

Don’t sacrifice your health, relationships, and purpose for numbers on a screen.

Money that isn’t used intentionally is just clutter in another form.

If You’re Stressed About Money Right Now

If you’re worried about inflation…

If you’re worried about layoffs…

If you’re worried about retirement…

If you’re worried about running out of money…

I want you to remember what my father told me.

It’s just money.

You can create more of it.

You can earn more of it.

You can exchange value for it.

But you can’t get time back.

You can’t redo your health.

And you can’t relive missed moments.

Use money as a servant, not a master. Steward it wisely but don’t worship it.

Final Thought

My father wasn’t perfect. None of us are. But the legacy he left me wasn’t financial it was perspective.

And if his words help free even one person from fear, stress, or scarcity thinking, then that ripple continues.

So as you move forward this year, remember this:

Money is just money. Life is the real wealth.


And the time to live it is now.

Make it a wonderful and prosperous week.