I think it is easy to confuse ownership and stewardship. When you believe that you own something, you are afraid of losing it. When you believe you are a caretaker of something, it frees you from the anxiety of loss and also refocuses your efforts on improving. If you can re-frame your thinking about money as a tool that you are in charge of preserving and putting to use, you will find that stewardship, not ownership, is the best way to manage and grow money. You are also a steward of your time and your belongings.
Mine for a moment
One thing we know for certain: we will die and we can’t take it with us. No matter how much we try, there is just simply no way to stash and carry our stuff and money into the hereafter. Stewardship mindset frames your wealth as generational–a good to be passed on to future generations to ease the struggles of daily life.
Less Anxiety
Money, or the lack thereof, is a huge stress today. You are being sold to left and right and it seems like everything demands payment. When we see our money and our time through the eyes of stewardship, we are able to make better decisions and avoid unnecessary money traps. Seeing money as something we manage rather than possess frees us up to focus on what is possible instead of what we could lose.
Enough
If you like to throw money away and don’t see the value in investing for the future, you will never have enough money. When you are a good steward, you learn the art of enough. If you have enough at every level, you will savor what you have instead of longing for the next thing or level.
Money Magnet
Money only stays with and works for people who value it and put it to work. It only grows in the hands of stewards who demand more of it than just stuff. As you grow your wealth, you will find that more money flows in. If you manage small amounts well, you will receive more zeros to manage as well.
Conclusion
We might as well be smart and thoughtful about how we use our time, talents and money and see how we can put them to use. Stewardship is the ideal mindset to get control of your money so you can deploy it to create a better world for you, your family and your community.