I have been reflecting lately on an experience I had while working at a state university. I had the privilege of attending a lecture by a well-known individual who spoke candidly about his life, his adventures, and the lessons he had learned along the way. At the conclusion of the event, the moderator shared a story that truly resonated with me: the guest had been contracted for a $50,000 fee but chose to waive it entirely. The moderator asked why. He wanted the students in attendance to know that this guest had not taken their school’s money. The guest explained that he had finally achieved his lifelong dream of buying a house at the beach, and realized that he now has “enough.”
That phrase—having “enough”—has stayed with me. In a world where we often see the wealthy focused solely on accumulating more, it is a powerful concept to consider. Research suggests that for most, financial stability means covering essential needs—shelter, transportation, food, and utilities—alongside a few wants, like a yearly vacation or extracurriculars for children.
In the world of financial counseling, we see clients dealing with fraud, credit scores, and debt. However, many clients are not low-income; they earn a good living but simply spend more than they bring in. It strikes me that perhaps we could all benefit from pausing to ask ourselves: what is truly enough?