a lot of things in life aren't real.
Before I explain, let me provide some context. I've been working since I was 16. I've designed, edited, written code, whatever the fuck, I've done that for a large part of my life, and this year, 2025, is the year I finally started chasing money actively. I'm not Bill Gates rich; my parents worked hard for everything we have, so I don't have a trust fund waiting for me or anything.
The reason for this, however, is that I've never really believed in money. Money is great, can't even lie. But it's not real, it's an arbitrary value placed on a piece of paper to help facilitate commerce, it's man-made, you can probably make your own currency tomorrow, and it'll be completely valid. Yet, as arbitrary as it is, everyone seems to give it so much power.
I'm not negating the fact that money can change lives, don't get me wrong. Shit, if you sent me a million dollars right now, I'd probably kiss you. But still. It's not real. So much of what consumes our daily energy, the metrics, the status symbols, the benchmarks of success, they're all constructs we've collectively agreed to care about.
Love is real. Happiness is real. That feeling you get when you see a really good movie or hang out with friends you haven't seen in a minute, the satisfaction of creating something meaningful. That's real. And it's very easy, in our pursuit of money, to lose sight of what's actually real. Once again, Money is great. But it's a means to achieve what's actually real.
I'd be foolish to ask you to stop chasing money, and I'm not saying you should focus simply on chasing money; all I'm saying, brethren, is that in this beautiful life you have somehow managed to find yourself, try not to lose what's real in the pursuit of what isn't.