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The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life
"An inspired, utterly fascinating book….A book for everyone who would like to make the world a better place."—Jane Goodall
This unique and fundamentally liberating book shows us that examining our attitudes toward money—earning it, spending it, and giving it away—can offer surprising insight into our lives, our values, and the essence of prosperity.Lynne Twist, a global activist and fundraiser, has raised more than $150 million for charitable causes. Through personal stories and practical advice, she demonstrates how we can replace feelings of scarcity, guilt, and burden with experiences of sufficiency, freedom, and purpose. In this Nautilus Award-winning book, Twist shares from her own life, a journey illuminated by remarkable encounters with the richest and poorest, from the famous (Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama) to the anonymous but unforgettable heroes of everyday life.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2003
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December 1, 2017I'm on the board of the nonprofit Worldreader and this book was chosen for our bookclub.
Lynne Twist describers her work as fundraiser for The Hunger Project and how her philosophy about money has evolved through that process.
Told through a series of powerful anecdotes (Warning: one board member called this book very emotional --a little too emotional for him), nevertheless The Soul of Money has many interesting concepts worth sharing.
She presents several simple frameworks in which to think about money--whether you have a lot or a little --and also about why one should give their time, energy and money.
Here are few concepts that I found striking.
1. How you spend money should reflect your values.
"Money becomes a conduit, a way to express our highest ideals."
"Rarely in our life is money a place of genuine freedom, joy, or clarity, yet we routinely allowit to dictate the terms of our lives and often to be the single most important factor in the decisions we make about work, love family, and friendship."
It's a challenging ask, to request that people spend their money in alignment with their values (as often I think many of us struggle with finding the time to research and know exactly what our money is supporting). But I think this is a good reminder.
2. Citing Buckminster Fuller, she writes a lot about how one should operate from a perspective of abundance.
"In the mindset of scarcity, our relationship with money is an expression of fear, a fear that drives us in an endless and unfulfilling chase for more, or into compromises that promise a way out of the chase or discomfort around money."
In general, I've found that operating from a point of collaboration not competitiveness has allowed me to be more creative and form better partnerships with my colleagues and others in the world of journalism and writing. I prefer to assume that there is enough work for everyone and enough good ideas to go around.
A few other quotes that will make you think:
Give in any way you can:
"In Haiti there is a saying--"If you get a piece of cake and eat the whole thing, you will feel empty. If you get a piece of cake and share half of it, you will feel both full and fulfilled."
"What really works is when everyone is giving the assets or resources they bring to bear to make a vision come true. Some of those resources are financial. Some are sweat equity."
Value the artists of the world:
"The 'starving artist' life sentence has us accept that creativity is undervalued in our society. It suggests that those of us who rely on creative gifts to make a living can expect to be poorly paid, and the rest of us are entitled to exploit them or short change them in money terms, and undervalue them in human terms."
Think in terms of bringing people together, not driving them apart:
"We have the power and the resources now to create a you-and-me world rather than a you-or-me world."
And finally, the kicker:
Women should look at how much energy they put into their relationships and consciously take a quarter of it and put it into their own relationship with themselves.
Lynne Twist describers her work as fundraiser for The Hunger Project and how her philosophy about money has evolved through that process.
Told through a series of powerful anecdotes (Warning: one board member called this book very emotional --a little too emotional for him), nevertheless The Soul of Money has many interesting concepts worth sharing.
She presents several simple frameworks in which to think about money--whether you have a lot or a little --and also about why one should give their time, energy and money.
Here are few concepts that I found striking.
1. How you spend money should reflect your values.
"Money becomes a conduit, a way to express our highest ideals."
"Rarely in our life is money a place of genuine freedom, joy, or clarity, yet we routinely allowit to dictate the terms of our lives and often to be the single most important factor in the decisions we make about work, love family, and friendship."
It's a challenging ask, to request that people spend their money in alignment with their values (as often I think many of us struggle with finding the time to research and know exactly what our money is supporting). But I think this is a good reminder.
2. Citing Buckminster Fuller, she writes a lot about how one should operate from a perspective of abundance.
"In the mindset of scarcity, our relationship with money is an expression of fear, a fear that drives us in an endless and unfulfilling chase for more, or into compromises that promise a way out of the chase or discomfort around money."
In general, I've found that operating from a point of collaboration not competitiveness has allowed me to be more creative and form better partnerships with my colleagues and others in the world of journalism and writing. I prefer to assume that there is enough work for everyone and enough good ideas to go around.
A few other quotes that will make you think:
Give in any way you can:
"In Haiti there is a saying--"If you get a piece of cake and eat the whole thing, you will feel empty. If you get a piece of cake and share half of it, you will feel both full and fulfilled."
"What really works is when everyone is giving the assets or resources they bring to bear to make a vision come true. Some of those resources are financial. Some are sweat equity."
Value the artists of the world:
"The 'starving artist' life sentence has us accept that creativity is undervalued in our society. It suggests that those of us who rely on creative gifts to make a living can expect to be poorly paid, and the rest of us are entitled to exploit them or short change them in money terms, and undervalue them in human terms."
Think in terms of bringing people together, not driving them apart:
"We have the power and the resources now to create a you-and-me world rather than a you-or-me world."
And finally, the kicker:
Women should look at how much energy they put into their relationships and consciously take a quarter of it and put it into their own relationship with themselves.
September 26, 2023
I feel this book has it's place. But I feel like the author at times is super unaware of her privilege. Her experiences are not the experiences of others. And I feel she has a real disconnect there.
She claims to walk in both worlds: those of the well off and the poor. But that just isn't true. A tourist to poverty maybe?
It's just difficult to listen to a very well off woman who is telling me that I have enough and money isn't everything. It's easy to say so if you have enough. If you aren't worried that if your car breaks down you won't be able to pay rent.
Some of her messages just seem disconnected to reality.
And there were times that her switch of topic was like whip lash. One moment she is is talking about women who kill their female offspring and the next she is talking about fundraising and always being able to find the money to "get a job done". Like you can't just jump from that topic to that topic it's weird.
Like I said I just feel super disconnected from her life experience and it makes it difficult to take anything she says seriously.
She claims to walk in both worlds: those of the well off and the poor. But that just isn't true. A tourist to poverty maybe?
It's just difficult to listen to a very well off woman who is telling me that I have enough and money isn't everything. It's easy to say so if you have enough. If you aren't worried that if your car breaks down you won't be able to pay rent.
Some of her messages just seem disconnected to reality.
And there were times that her switch of topic was like whip lash. One moment she is is talking about women who kill their female offspring and the next she is talking about fundraising and always being able to find the money to "get a job done". Like you can't just jump from that topic to that topic it's weird.
Like I said I just feel super disconnected from her life experience and it makes it difficult to take anything she says seriously.
February 23, 2013
My parents gave this book to their kids for Christmas several years ago, and I finally picked it up and read it. I can often be cynical of non-profits and organizations meant to assist others, even though my parents have been running one for 7-ish years, or perhaps because they have been running one. I think it's very difficult to have a system that does not make one party vulnerable to being taken advantage of another, especially when their is such discrepancy between haves and have nots.
There were a lot of ideas I liked from this book:
1. An ethical life is a fulfilling life (not easy, not always happy, not without trouble, but fulfilling despite the setbacks)
2. There are 3 myths that keep people from feeling like they can make a difference: 1. The myth that there are not enough resources to go around. 2. The myth that more is better (she gives many examples of extraordinarily wealthy people who worry constantly, and feel like if they had just 5 million more, they would be fine), and 3. The myth that the unfair circumstances in life are set, that "that's just the way it is".
3. The idea of sufficiency- if we look around us and within us, we will find what we need. This translates into letting people you help be a main part of the solution, providing them with the opportunity to build self-sufficiency.
4. What we appreciate appreciates. And appreciation is the beating heart of self- sufficiency. When we recognize what is already in our lives, we want for less, and we see how to use what we have to care for our needs.
5. Ghandhi, "There is enough for our need, but not for our greed."
6. We should invest in activities that enrich our children's experience of life, and that increase their appreciation for life.
7. We have the power to arrange our lives, so that the stand we take with our money and our lives is a n every-day, right-now, every-week expression of our core values, not a some-day, next year, when I retire, or when I have enough expression of our core values.
Also, people and organizations can make a difference, they might not be perfect, but they can have a positive impact on the lives of others.
There were a lot of ideas I liked from this book:
1. An ethical life is a fulfilling life (not easy, not always happy, not without trouble, but fulfilling despite the setbacks)
2. There are 3 myths that keep people from feeling like they can make a difference: 1. The myth that there are not enough resources to go around. 2. The myth that more is better (she gives many examples of extraordinarily wealthy people who worry constantly, and feel like if they had just 5 million more, they would be fine), and 3. The myth that the unfair circumstances in life are set, that "that's just the way it is".
3. The idea of sufficiency- if we look around us and within us, we will find what we need. This translates into letting people you help be a main part of the solution, providing them with the opportunity to build self-sufficiency.
4. What we appreciate appreciates. And appreciation is the beating heart of self- sufficiency. When we recognize what is already in our lives, we want for less, and we see how to use what we have to care for our needs.
5. Ghandhi, "There is enough for our need, but not for our greed."
6. We should invest in activities that enrich our children's experience of life, and that increase their appreciation for life.
7. We have the power to arrange our lives, so that the stand we take with our money and our lives is a n every-day, right-now, every-week expression of our core values, not a some-day, next year, when I retire, or when I have enough expression of our core values.
Also, people and organizations can make a difference, they might not be perfect, but they can have a positive impact on the lives of others.
September 17, 2013
I'm not really the type of person that leaves reviews. I usually just mark the stars and leave it at that. But with "The Soul of Money:..." I just have to say WOW what a book. I've read many books on prosperity that teaches how to get money and get more money. Lynne Twist has written something completely different. She just doesn't talk about prosperity and how to get it. But she teaches how to be good stewards with what we have. And not just about money but our other resources that we all have within ourselves such as Love and Charity. She mentions about how thoughts of scarcity has created a world of "you or me" and by changing our mindset to sufficiency, creates a world of "you and me". And, that there is enough resources to create a world that works for everyone. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a fear of money and thinking of not having enough. And how to be good stewards of money, our personal resources and Earth's resources.
January 31, 2021
I was clearly expecting something different from this book. I was expecting to read about the soul of money. I was expecting to read more stories about how to use money to do good. Not about the politics of money. Not about the atrocities that people commit to get money (with all the details proper to cheap tabloids!). I already know all that, I wasn't born yesterday. I'm 10 chapters in and I can't even listen to this book anymore.
The "nuggets of wisdom" are pretty obvious, they might appeal as revelations to those who have been selling their souls for money and never stopped to think about it, but they are pretty basic for those who don't live in the constant chase for more.
Overall, I find the tone of this book very negative and patronising. If you want to be disgusted by having money, read this book. If you want to know how to make your money do good things for yourself and others - choose something better.
The "nuggets of wisdom" are pretty obvious, they might appeal as revelations to those who have been selling their souls for money and never stopped to think about it, but they are pretty basic for those who don't live in the constant chase for more.
Overall, I find the tone of this book very negative and patronising. If you want to be disgusted by having money, read this book. If you want to know how to make your money do good things for yourself and others - choose something better.
November 25, 2021
I feel kinda bad giving this book a two star rating. I do agree with the sentiment behind it and believe that everyone could benefit from a reflective look at their relationship with money, but it was such a chore to get through. A bit too lofty and repetitive (I have read the words "your soul's highest commitment" one too many times). Perhaps it was naive of me to think that I would walk away with some transformed outlook, a newly inspired resolve. It is more a reminder of something we all know.
Allow me to sum it up for you: be intentional about how/where you spend your money and do not live in fear of not having enough (scarcity mindset) as one's happiness does not come from material things; focus on and appreciate your inner resources, use your money to represent "your soul's highest commitments" by putting it towards the betterment of the world and fulfillment will come to you.
Allow me to sum it up for you: be intentional about how/where you spend your money and do not live in fear of not having enough (scarcity mindset) as one's happiness does not come from material things; focus on and appreciate your inner resources, use your money to represent "your soul's highest commitments" by putting it towards the betterment of the world and fulfillment will come to you.
May 8, 2018
Киса, зачем вам деньги? У вас же нет фантазии - maždaug tokia mintis liko viską perskaičius.
Verta skaityti, jei norisi jaustis ramiau dėl turimos/uždirbamos pinigų sumos, labiau džiaugtis tuo, ką jau turi, ir pasitikėti savimi. Visokių seminarų "kaip uždirbti milijoną" laikmečiu mintis, kad visiems visko, taip pat ir man, ir tau, ir kitam, yra pakankamai, reikia tik mokėti dalintis, skamba juokingai ir paradoksaliai, tačiau, kai ji pateikiama be kaltinimo, priekaištų ar pinigų demonizavimo, ją priimti gali būti lengva (bent jau buvo lengva man).
Verta skaityti, jei norisi jaustis ramiau dėl turimos/uždirbamos pinigų sumos, labiau džiaugtis tuo, ką jau turi, ir pasitikėti savimi. Visokių seminarų "kaip uždirbti milijoną" laikmečiu mintis, kad visiems visko, taip pat ir man, ir tau, ir kitam, yra pakankamai, reikia tik mokėti dalintis, skamba juokingai ir paradoksaliai, tačiau, kai ji pateikiama be kaltinimo, priekaištų ar pinigų demonizavimo, ją priimti gali būti lengva (bent jau buvo lengva man).
July 25, 2009
I agree with the author's overall point that our use of and relationship with money can be used in more positive, values-affirming ways and that the first step in this is recognizing that we really do have all that we need right now. By the middle of the book, however, I started to wonder if delivering this particular message was all the author intended to do with the pages in front of me. The stories are personal which is nice but I would have also like to read some demonstrative examples of how to make this happen in everyday life especially within an overall consumer culture that doesn't support the way of life she's espousing.
March 2, 2021
Hard to articulate why I reacted so negatively to this book, because a lot of the ideas are solid--careful examination of the best uses of resources, aligning them with real life priorities, etc. But this seems directed at (and in part written by) someone with a huge amount of privilege blindness and geared towards folks who lack clarity on what they view as their key priorities in life. I'm sure I'm guilty of both, but I didn't find her exposition very helpful or insightful for either problem.
December 31, 2019
I picked up this book because I feel that it is healthy to examine our own and our culture's relationship with money and I hoped to read insightful reflections from someone who has thought deeply on the topic. However, this book did not come close to satisfying those expectations and I am giving up on it as useless to me a bit over halfway through.
I agree with many of the general psychological principles that the author discusses (that a mindset of sufficiency is more freeing and empowering than one of scarcity, that whatever we focus our attention on strengthens, etc.). However, Twist goes off the woo-woo deep end in this book, making statements such as that with the right attitude the universe will deliver, that sufficiency and cooperation are somehow more "natural" than scarcity and competition (but also putting humans outside of the rest of nature), etc. These statements are demonstrate to me a lack of depth of understanding of science and greatly undermine her primary points.
The book is also very poorly written -- there are grammatical mistakes (such as incomplete sentences) and a good bit of repetition, sometimes down to almost the same phrase twice in one paragraph. The result is that it feels like trite platitudes rather than deep, thoughtful, reflections.
I also agree with other reviewers that it smacks of privilege. The target audience is clearly middle- and upper-class westerners who have been on the treadmill of more, more, more for too long. Yes, money does not buy happiness. And yes, an attitude of self-sufficiency is surely always more helpful to anyone, even or especially those in poverty. But to downplay the significance of money to those who simply do not have enough to survive in our current society -- and to proclaim that they have to "trust in the universe" -- is downright insulting to such folks.
I agree with many of the general psychological principles that the author discusses (that a mindset of sufficiency is more freeing and empowering than one of scarcity, that whatever we focus our attention on strengthens, etc.). However, Twist goes off the woo-woo deep end in this book, making statements such as that with the right attitude the universe will deliver, that sufficiency and cooperation are somehow more "natural" than scarcity and competition (but also putting humans outside of the rest of nature), etc. These statements are demonstrate to me a lack of depth of understanding of science and greatly undermine her primary points.
The book is also very poorly written -- there are grammatical mistakes (such as incomplete sentences) and a good bit of repetition, sometimes down to almost the same phrase twice in one paragraph. The result is that it feels like trite platitudes rather than deep, thoughtful, reflections.
I also agree with other reviewers that it smacks of privilege. The target audience is clearly middle- and upper-class westerners who have been on the treadmill of more, more, more for too long. Yes, money does not buy happiness. And yes, an attitude of self-sufficiency is surely always more helpful to anyone, even or especially those in poverty. But to downplay the significance of money to those who simply do not have enough to survive in our current society -- and to proclaim that they have to "trust in the universe" -- is downright insulting to such folks.
November 1, 2014
I am very interested in this topic, but Lynne was a magical thinker.
One story was of a village in the desert that needed to find water. She knew that the women had the answer. How? The women said to keep digging. Why? They eventually found water, and they were saved! So .. we should just follow our intuition around and have faith that the right thing will happen? How many villages tried this and found only sand?
Another story was how Mother Teresa never had any savings. She trusted in god to provide. Yes, that's the advice I want to give to all the savers in America: don't save money, something will come along. Don't we already have too much of that?
She did have some good points about how money doesn't make you happy, and if you have enough money, you can get a lot of joy by using it to help others. (She is a professional fundraiser, which seems consistent, but her motives are likely good.)
Still, overall I didn't like the book. There has to be a better book on this subject.
One story was of a village in the desert that needed to find water. She knew that the women had the answer. How? The women said to keep digging. Why? They eventually found water, and they were saved! So .. we should just follow our intuition around and have faith that the right thing will happen? How many villages tried this and found only sand?
Another story was how Mother Teresa never had any savings. She trusted in god to provide. Yes, that's the advice I want to give to all the savers in America: don't save money, something will come along. Don't we already have too much of that?
She did have some good points about how money doesn't make you happy, and if you have enough money, you can get a lot of joy by using it to help others. (She is a professional fundraiser, which seems consistent, but her motives are likely good.)
Still, overall I didn't like the book. There has to be a better book on this subject.
February 22, 2022
After finishing this book, my first thought was to wonder if it would have still been published if it was written today. The author is coming from such a place of privilege, but she does not acknowledge this. As a wealthy white woman who doesn't have to work, so much of what she preaches about how "we don't need as much as we think we do" comes across as incredibly tone deaf. I also found myself cringing again and again at how she described the "beautiful brown people" she met in places like Bangladesh, and at her insistence not to worry so much because "the universe will provide". Even her chapters on more sustainable shopping feel incomplete because she only talks about better ways to buy new, and doesn't once acknowledge the option of buying secondhand.
I know this book has been helpful for many. I can also see how her perspective could be valuable for someone who already doesn't have to worry about money. But unless you would describe yourself as someone in the 1% who feels the need to always buy the next big thing to outdo your rich friends.
I know this book has been helpful for many. I can also see how her perspective could be valuable for someone who already doesn't have to worry about money. But unless you would describe yourself as someone in the 1% who feels the need to always buy the next big thing to outdo your rich friends.
October 19, 2007
To be perfectly honest, I expected to hate this book. I thought it would be flimsy and cliched and hapless.
To my great surprise, it isn't. What it is, is a moving book that challenges the reader to reexamine assumptions about money, wealth, and "enough."
I read this at about the same time I read The Fifth Discipline, and they were actually a great combination, giving rise to my thoughtful reflection on the mental model of scarcity that most of us (including me) operate in by habit, contrasted with how the world looks from a mental model of sufficiency.
There were some good a-ha moments in here for me. A good, quick read, especially worthwhile for anyone who gives charitably or who works in the nonprofit sector.
To my great surprise, it isn't. What it is, is a moving book that challenges the reader to reexamine assumptions about money, wealth, and "enough."
I read this at about the same time I read The Fifth Discipline, and they were actually a great combination, giving rise to my thoughtful reflection on the mental model of scarcity that most of us (including me) operate in by habit, contrasted with how the world looks from a mental model of sufficiency.
There were some good a-ha moments in here for me. A good, quick read, especially worthwhile for anyone who gives charitably or who works in the nonprofit sector.
August 29, 2011
This book was recommended to me. As I often do, though consciously I am trying not to anymore, I read prepared to react, to judge, to criticize, to dismiss. The photo of the author on the book jacket gave me reason not to venture further (no need to explain), but I opened the book and read anyway.
However, someplace along the way, as I read THE SOUL OF MONEY, I just read, I just listened. I was most engaged with the stories, more off put by the didactic nature of the book. I will continue to ponder and explore Lynne Twist's insight into "conversation" and how positive change happens when conversations are changed and when conversation includes many of us which can happen with today's social media. However, positive changes, as she points out, can be replaced with negative conversations too. Case in point, when the conversations after 9/11 was diverted from heart and soul to "getting back to business, the business of spending money" a directive from President George W. Bush!
THE SOUL OF MONEY had implications for all of us, no matter if we have little or lots of $'s. I think most of us already know that how we get and spend our money affects our soul/is affected by our soul, but a reminder now and again is always appreciated. That said, though, I think it is more complicated than the book alludes to.
Twist also discusses why we give money and tells the story of how she returned a $50,000 contribution because she thought it was given for the wrong reason. Does giving need to be soul centered to do good in the world?
I appreciate Twist's research and hand's on knowledge of fund raising. I especially appreciate her understanding that people, for the most part, want to be self-efficient, and just a quick and temporary handing out of money, etc. isn't necessarily a fix, but can be detrimental in the long run. We think we know what people need and want, but we don't, unless we ask. Unless we sit down and have a conversation.
For what it's worth, I could see THE SOUL OF MONEY written as an essay, something I would have spent less money on, and less time reading.
However, someplace along the way, as I read THE SOUL OF MONEY, I just read, I just listened. I was most engaged with the stories, more off put by the didactic nature of the book. I will continue to ponder and explore Lynne Twist's insight into "conversation" and how positive change happens when conversations are changed and when conversation includes many of us which can happen with today's social media. However, positive changes, as she points out, can be replaced with negative conversations too. Case in point, when the conversations after 9/11 was diverted from heart and soul to "getting back to business, the business of spending money" a directive from President George W. Bush!
THE SOUL OF MONEY had implications for all of us, no matter if we have little or lots of $'s. I think most of us already know that how we get and spend our money affects our soul/is affected by our soul, but a reminder now and again is always appreciated. That said, though, I think it is more complicated than the book alludes to.
Twist also discusses why we give money and tells the story of how she returned a $50,000 contribution because she thought it was given for the wrong reason. Does giving need to be soul centered to do good in the world?
I appreciate Twist's research and hand's on knowledge of fund raising. I especially appreciate her understanding that people, for the most part, want to be self-efficient, and just a quick and temporary handing out of money, etc. isn't necessarily a fix, but can be detrimental in the long run. We think we know what people need and want, but we don't, unless we ask. Unless we sit down and have a conversation.
For what it's worth, I could see THE SOUL OF MONEY written as an essay, something I would have spent less money on, and less time reading.
June 23, 2019
I liked the anecdotes about people the author knows and her experiences traveling the world. The story about meeting Mother Teresa in India was great.
The thesis is that money is powerful and should be used to create good for you and the world. I can agree with that. Also, money flows like water and we are the conduit of our money. We can control the flow and need to learn how to direct the flow of money to create good, happy, balanced lives.
There are not concrete steps to follow. This is not really a self-help book but it does help you look at how you personally use money and stimulated me to look at the choices I make with my money in a new way.
The thesis is that money is powerful and should be used to create good for you and the world. I can agree with that. Also, money flows like water and we are the conduit of our money. We can control the flow and need to learn how to direct the flow of money to create good, happy, balanced lives.
There are not concrete steps to follow. This is not really a self-help book but it does help you look at how you personally use money and stimulated me to look at the choices I make with my money in a new way.
August 5, 2021
Е, намерихме се с най-лошата ми прочетена нехудожествена книга някога. Щеше да е хубаво да се разминем. Донякъде и аз съм си виновна. Още на втората глава когато осъзнах, че тази книга не е точно за пари, а за нещо съвсем друго - трябваше да я зарежа и да бъда щастлива. Но не, причиних си я сама.
По-подходящо заглавие на книгата би било "Look at me I want to be thе next Mother Teresa" или нещо подобно. Книгата не е книга за пари и финансова култура. Книгата не съдържа нито един съвет или насока как да подобриш връзката си с парите. Книгата е по-скоро за отегчена до смърт привилегирована домакиня, която й е станало скучно, тъй като няма парични проблеми и която в религиозната си фанатичност е стигнала до мнението, че ще спаси света от глад и така ще си спечели място в рая. Нещо подобно. Книгата е изцяло и единствено посветена на събиране на пари за благотворителност и духовните преживявания на авторката.
Тази книга е вредна на толкова много нива, че не мога да ги опиша. Една жена в преследването на справянето си със собствената си смъртност и тленност, пречупва думи, събития, наука и каквото и удобно по начин, който й служи на нея. Няма лошо. Всички го правим, но да го напишеш и заявиш, че е книга за пари е грубичко, нехуманно и противно.
Дълбоко под слоевете възвишени слова и одухотворени до мазнотия думи, нещата са верни, но се губят под езика, който използва. Книгата не ти помага да подобриш мнението си за парите, а по-скоро още повече да повярваш, че са най-голямото зло, освен ако не се осъзнаеш, че авторката определено идва от доста комфортна финансова среда. Отделно срещата й с майка Тереза; историите на жени, преминали през немислими деформации и ситуации, както и пречупването през розови очила последните дни на майка й, не мисля, че мястото им беше тук.
Книгата е противна, отблъскваща и единственото, което успя в моя случай да постигне - напълно да намразя всички филантропии, благотворителност, доброволчество, неправителствени организации и подобни неща повече, отколкото досега. Хуманитарната индустрия определено вече тотално ми е противна след прочита на тази книга.
Последната капка на цялата тази мизерия беше споменаването, че видиш ли реакцията "flight or fight" (което всъщност е "flight, fight or freeze") е присъща на мъжката половина на населението, а жените реагирали с "collaboration and cooperation". Това да нагласиш биологията според личните си виждания е вече твърде много. Ще ми се да я видя авторката как ще реагира ако се намира в горяща сграда, не вярвам да е с "collaboration and cooperation".
По-подходящо заглавие на книгата би било "Look at me I want to be thе next Mother Teresa" или нещо подобно. Книгата не е книга за пари и финансова култура. Книгата не съдържа нито един съвет или насока как да подобриш връзката си с парите. Книгата е по-скоро за отегчена до смърт привилегирована домакиня, която й е станало скучно, тъй като няма парични проблеми и която в религиозната си фанатичност е стигнала до мнението, че ще спаси света от глад и така ще си спечели място в рая. Нещо подобно. Книгата е изцяло и единствено посветена на събиране на пари за благотворителност и духовните преживявания на авторката.
Тази книга е вредна на толкова много нива, че не мога да ги опиша. Една жена в преследването на справянето си със собствената си смъртност и тленност, пречупва думи, събития, наука и каквото и удобно по начин, който й служи на нея. Няма лошо. Всички го правим, но да го напишеш и заявиш, че е книга за пари е грубичко, нехуманно и противно.
Дълбоко под слоевете възвишени слова и одухотворени до мазнотия думи, нещата са верни, но се губят под езика, който използва. Книгата не ти помага да подобриш мнението си за парите, а по-скоро още повече да повярваш, че са най-голямото зло, освен ако не се осъзнаеш, че авторката определено идва от доста комфортна финансова среда. Отделно срещата й с майка Тереза; историите на жени, преминали през немислими деформации и ситуации, както и пречупването през розови очила последните дни на майка й, не мисля, че мястото им беше тук.
Книгата е противна, отблъскваща и единственото, което успя в моя случай да постигне - напълно да намразя всички филантропии, благотворителност, доброволчество, неправителствени организации и подобни неща повече, отколкото досега. Хуманитарната индустрия определено вече тотално ми е противна след прочита на тази книга.
Последната капка на цялата тази мизерия беше споменаването, че видиш ли реакцията "flight or fight" (което всъщност е "flight, fight or freeze") е присъща на мъжката половина на населението, а жените реагирали с "collaboration and cooperation". Това да нагласиш биологията според личните си виждания е вече твърде много. Ще ми се да я видя авторката как ще реагира ако се намира в горяща сграда, не вярвам да е с "collaboration and cooperation".
December 7, 2021
decided to put on hold for now
March 14, 2010
Lynne Twist talks about money in a way that I've never experienced before. She delves deep into the idea of money as a means of expressing our greatest hopes for ourselves and our communities. The way she talks about money imbues it with a spiritual significance that I've realized is totally appropriate. Lynne's life is now dedicated to putting into the practice that helping people to help themselves - rather than just stopping at "helping people" - is the way to co-create a more compassionate and just world. It's not just filled with philosophy, but also includes practical applications of how you too can connect with the soul of money.
February 10, 2022
Cuốn sách đầu tiên của năm âm lịch. Sách có tên khiến ai cũng nghĩ viết về chủ đề tài chính nhưng thực ra nó gần giống như cuốn tự truyện của tác giả - 1 người đi kêu gọi cho quỹ dự án xóa đói. Nữ tác giả nói về những câu chuyện và cảm nhận mà mình từng gặp trong quá trình làm việc khiến cho nhân sinh quan về tiền bạc thay đổi triệt để. Nhưng nếu biết nội dung chính của sách chỉ là tự truyện của nữ tác giả này thì nhiều khả năng sẽ bỏ qua mà không đọc. Vì tác giả nữ thường có cái chất gì đó lê thê, lặp lại mà đôi phần dài dòng, thêm kiểu rất nhiều sáo ngữ và cảm tính nên đọc không hợp. Trước đọc cuốn tự truyện Educated cũng do nữ tác giả viết, dù cuốn sách đó rất đình đám và Bill Gates rate tới 5* mà đọc chẳng thấy hay. Hình như mới thấy có 2 nữ tác giả viết hay là Agatha và J.K.Rowling May là không ai viết tự truyện, 1 người thì trinh thám, người còn lại thì hướng tới đọc giả thiếu nhi.
Nội dung của cuốn sách là những cuộc gặp gỡ với rất nhiều người trong quá trình gây quỹ của tác giả, từ những người vô cùng khốn khó tới tầng lớp tinh hoa, siêu giàu có. Ai cũng mang trong mình một nỗi buồn của sự thiếu thốn, không đầy đủ. Dưới góc nhìn từ những trải nghiệm của tác giả, thì bà thấy tiền bạc đã được con người ban cho quá nhiều quyền lực thay vì chỉ là vật trung gian để trao đổi các loại hàng hóa. Có những bộ lạc tới giờ vẫn chưa hề dùng đến tiền, nhưng tác giả lại thấy họ luôn sống đầy đủ và trọn vẹn. Bà cũng nhận ra tiền bạc hệt như dòng chảy của nước, ngăn lũy đắp đập để tích lũy càng nhiều tiền bạc thì tác hại lại tới càng nhiều, hay để dòng nước được chảy tự nhiên, tới nơi nó có giá trị nhất. Và cách để cho đi những đồng tiền cũng quan trọng, trong đó phải có cả sự cảm thông và hợp tác giúp nhau chứ không phải là thái độ cho nhận trịch thượng hoặc chuộc tội trong mặc cảm. Sự thiếu thốn chỉ là ảo ảnh, con người thấy đủ ngay khi mình cảm thấy đủ chứ không phải vì có bao nhiêu tiền hay ở trong bất kì hoàn cảnh nào khác. Đại khái nội dung sách thế, nhưng tác giả dễ khóc, trong truyện tác giả khóc nhiều, dù câu chuyện có cảm động, nhưng dùng nước mắt để mua cảm xúc người đọc cũng chẳng thích. Sáo ngữ và những câu cổ động cũng nhiều. Chỉ cần biết đủ, không lấy dư, chân lý “tri túc” được diễn giải khắp nơi trên thế giới ở rất nhiều khía cạnh. Tác giả cho là cho thêm góc nhìn cá nhân ở khía cạnh tiền bạc thôi.
Đọc xong thấy sách rất bình thường, vì những điều tác giả muốn truyền đạt cũng từng đọc ở rất nhiều nơi rồi. Cách kể, cách viết của tác giả thấy không hợp nên chẳng thích lắm. Để 2,5* (5/10) làm tròn thì 3*.
Nội dung của cuốn sách là những cuộc gặp gỡ với rất nhiều người trong quá trình gây quỹ của tác giả, từ những người vô cùng khốn khó tới tầng lớp tinh hoa, siêu giàu có. Ai cũng mang trong mình một nỗi buồn của sự thiếu thốn, không đầy đủ. Dưới góc nhìn từ những trải nghiệm của tác giả, thì bà thấy tiền bạc đã được con người ban cho quá nhiều quyền lực thay vì chỉ là vật trung gian để trao đổi các loại hàng hóa. Có những bộ lạc tới giờ vẫn chưa hề dùng đến tiền, nhưng tác giả lại thấy họ luôn sống đầy đủ và trọn vẹn. Bà cũng nhận ra tiền bạc hệt như dòng chảy của nước, ngăn lũy đắp đập để tích lũy càng nhiều tiền bạc thì tác hại lại tới càng nhiều, hay để dòng nước được chảy tự nhiên, tới nơi nó có giá trị nhất. Và cách để cho đi những đồng tiền cũng quan trọng, trong đó phải có cả sự cảm thông và hợp tác giúp nhau chứ không phải là thái độ cho nhận trịch thượng hoặc chuộc tội trong mặc cảm. Sự thiếu thốn chỉ là ảo ảnh, con người thấy đủ ngay khi mình cảm thấy đủ chứ không phải vì có bao nhiêu tiền hay ở trong bất kì hoàn cảnh nào khác. Đại khái nội dung sách thế, nhưng tác giả dễ khóc, trong truyện tác giả khóc nhiều, dù câu chuyện có cảm động, nhưng dùng nước mắt để mua cảm xúc người đọc cũng chẳng thích. Sáo ngữ và những câu cổ động cũng nhiều. Chỉ cần biết đủ, không lấy dư, chân lý “tri túc” được diễn giải khắp nơi trên thế giới ở rất nhiều khía cạnh. Tác giả cho là cho thêm góc nhìn cá nhân ở khía cạnh tiền bạc thôi.
Đọc xong thấy sách rất bình thường, vì những điều tác giả muốn truyền đạt cũng từng đọc ở rất nhiều nơi rồi. Cách kể, cách viết của tác giả thấy không hợp nên chẳng thích lắm. Để 2,5* (5/10) làm tròn thì 3*.
October 17, 2021
I have been working on my money mindset and was looking forward to how this book would help me reframe my thoughts and feelings around money.
As the author expresses, I believe that money is “an instrument of the soul,” and that spending it intentionally can have a positive impact on ourselves and the world.
The book description reads, “that examining our attitudes toward money- earning it, spending it, and giving it away- offers surprising insights into our lives,” which is what drew me in. Unfortunately, I don’t recall a passage where the author dives into “earning it.” The main objective of this book seems to be giving it away, and this is where my frustrations come in.
This book felt more memoir than advice giving. The author argues against the scarcity mindset but offers no tips on how to release that mindset.
There was an example of church gathering in Harlem that gave $500 to The Hunger Project (where the author works), even though those people had very little themselves. This example goes to show that we all can give, and this community had an incredible mindset, but it doesn’t help the rest of us actually look beyond the struggle of paying our bills and getting into that mindset.
But I wouldn’t trust the author’s advice anyway on the topic anyway. The author seems to come from a wealthy background and doesn’t have to worry about money at all. In fact, “In my own life, as a practical matter, I entrust my husband with the hands-on financial work, and decisions in our family, and try to stay free of it myself” (page 220).
How could she possibly write a book about money and try to connect with the reader if this is her background and interaction with money in her personal life?
Not only does this book seem geared towards upper middle class and above readers who don’t have to worry about having enough money to pay their bills, this book seems more memoir than guide to money.
The majority of examples in this book come from the author’s experience with The Hunger Project, and while eye opening, they come across as preachy and add even more disconnect with the reader. Many of the stories also left me feeling sad and uninspired.
Her fundraising efforts are frequently mentioned, and one of the examples from her life comes from her dying mother who recollects her own life as a fundraiser and how much this meant to her. It was beautiful how her mother spent her final days, but this example solidified the main focus of this book on giving your money away. The resource section also includes a variety of organizations you can give your money to. So not actual resources to help you “examine your attitude toward money- earning it, spending it, and giving it away,” just where to give it away.
The author is doing important work with The Hunger Project and I am grateful there are people like her out there, but these examples would do better in a book geared towards philanthropy than a book that’s meant to “transform my relationship with money.” As another reviewer wrote, “this book has its place,” but not in the financial self help section.
As the author expresses, I believe that money is “an instrument of the soul,” and that spending it intentionally can have a positive impact on ourselves and the world.
The book description reads, “that examining our attitudes toward money- earning it, spending it, and giving it away- offers surprising insights into our lives,” which is what drew me in. Unfortunately, I don’t recall a passage where the author dives into “earning it.” The main objective of this book seems to be giving it away, and this is where my frustrations come in.
This book felt more memoir than advice giving. The author argues against the scarcity mindset but offers no tips on how to release that mindset.
There was an example of church gathering in Harlem that gave $500 to The Hunger Project (where the author works), even though those people had very little themselves. This example goes to show that we all can give, and this community had an incredible mindset, but it doesn’t help the rest of us actually look beyond the struggle of paying our bills and getting into that mindset.
But I wouldn’t trust the author’s advice anyway on the topic anyway. The author seems to come from a wealthy background and doesn’t have to worry about money at all. In fact, “In my own life, as a practical matter, I entrust my husband with the hands-on financial work, and decisions in our family, and try to stay free of it myself” (page 220).
How could she possibly write a book about money and try to connect with the reader if this is her background and interaction with money in her personal life?
Not only does this book seem geared towards upper middle class and above readers who don’t have to worry about having enough money to pay their bills, this book seems more memoir than guide to money.
The majority of examples in this book come from the author’s experience with The Hunger Project, and while eye opening, they come across as preachy and add even more disconnect with the reader. Many of the stories also left me feeling sad and uninspired.
Her fundraising efforts are frequently mentioned, and one of the examples from her life comes from her dying mother who recollects her own life as a fundraiser and how much this meant to her. It was beautiful how her mother spent her final days, but this example solidified the main focus of this book on giving your money away. The resource section also includes a variety of organizations you can give your money to. So not actual resources to help you “examine your attitude toward money- earning it, spending it, and giving it away,” just where to give it away.
The author is doing important work with The Hunger Project and I am grateful there are people like her out there, but these examples would do better in a book geared towards philanthropy than a book that’s meant to “transform my relationship with money.” As another reviewer wrote, “this book has its place,” but not in the financial self help section.
August 29, 2023
عملت الكاتبة في مجال العمل التطوعي على مدلى 40 عاما جمعت خلالها ما يزيد عن 150 مليون دولار أمريكي، تستعرض في هذا الكتاب تجربتها مع المال، و نسف المعتقدات السلبية الثلاث عنه وهي:
١- الندرة والذي أدى إلى كثير من الصراعات على مستوى الأفراد والأمم على مر التاريخ
٢- الأكثر دائما أفضل والذي حول الحياة إلى تراكض حول جمع اكثر وأكبر الأموال والمقتنيات
٣- هذا هو الوضع لا يمكن تغييره والذي زرع اتشاؤم في النفوس
لكن الحقيقة أن المال والموارد بشكل عام متوفرة بكثرة على هذا الكوكب الذي صمم بدقة عجيبة، وأن نظرتنا للمال ومعتقداتنا تجاهه هو الذي يحدد رضانا وسعادتنا به، المال جاء لينفق، وكلما شاركته مع الاخرين كلما
زادت بهجتك به
كتاب جميل وشيق، يحتوي على كثير من الدروس التي قد تساعدك في تغيير قناعتك عن المال، وإن كان أسلوب الكاتبة لا يخلو من المثالية
١- الندرة والذي أدى إلى كثير من الصراعات على مستوى الأفراد والأمم على مر التاريخ
٢- الأكثر دائما أفضل والذي حول الحياة إلى تراكض حول جمع اكثر وأكبر الأموال والمقتنيات
٣- هذا هو الوضع لا يمكن تغييره والذي زرع اتشاؤم في النفوس
لكن الحقيقة أن المال والموارد بشكل عام متوفرة بكثرة على هذا الكوكب الذي صمم بدقة عجيبة، وأن نظرتنا للمال ومعتقداتنا تجاهه هو الذي يحدد رضانا وسعادتنا به، المال جاء لينفق، وكلما شاركته مع الاخرين كلما
زادت بهجتك به
كتاب جميل وشيق، يحتوي على كثير من الدروس التي قد تساعدك في تغيير قناعتك عن المال، وإن كان أسلوب الكاتبة لا يخلو من المثالية
June 23, 2019
Lynne Twist tells stories about resilience, inner strength, sufficiency, love and true wealth in heartfelt, powerful ways. I got emotional many times listening to the book.
This is not a book about quick fixes and money strategies, it goes way beyond, way deeper into our true relationship with the art of creation in our lives, the art of appreciation, giving and intentional support to what we truly believe. All of that being also expressed through the current of money in our lives. Money is a powerful catalyst to what really matters to us.
This is not a book about quick fixes and money strategies, it goes way beyond, way deeper into our true relationship with the art of creation in our lives, the art of appreciation, giving and intentional support to what we truly believe. All of that being also expressed through the current of money in our lives. Money is a powerful catalyst to what really matters to us.
July 18, 2012
This book is about the intention of how you spend and receive money. It clears your mind of the simple thoughts of have and have-nots, of wealth verses poor, and how we might hold ourselves back from seeing that the flow of money is natural; it's just how you look at it. I love self help books but this is way beyond. Please read it.
September 11, 2023
This book took me forever to get through. I like the general premise of the book, and it’s definitely given me food for thought in how I need to adjust my relationship with money.
It’s also helpful as a fundraiser, myself, to be able to help people with vast resources feel an increased sense of purpose by putting their soul into their money.
I do feel like some of what the author had to say just is not applicable to people who are financially struggling despite what she says, however, the general principles are good.
Any of these books that are written after someone’s lifetime of experience and not necessarily from an academic background seems to be a bit too heavy on the anecdotal side. Which means that sometimes they confuse their experience for a universal experience, but overall I’d say the author had some solid experiences to share.
It’s also helpful as a fundraiser, myself, to be able to help people with vast resources feel an increased sense of purpose by putting their soul into their money.
I do feel like some of what the author had to say just is not applicable to people who are financially struggling despite what she says, however, the general principles are good.
Any of these books that are written after someone’s lifetime of experience and not necessarily from an academic background seems to be a bit too heavy on the anecdotal side. Which means that sometimes they confuse their experience for a universal experience, but overall I’d say the author had some solid experiences to share.
February 2, 2022
Nu a fost chiar ceea ce ma așteptam.
January 31, 2022
Lynne Twist is a heavyweight in the global activism field, having been a fundraiser for efforts to alleviate poverty and hunger around the world. Her book, alas, is a lightweight look at the ways in which money is used and abused, with some suggestions for a new world where money is shared and everyone has enough. It was Buckminster Fuller who posited the idea that there are enough resources in the world to ensure that everyone on the planet has sufficient food. Twist was inspired by Fuller back in the 1970s and based her long career as a fundraiser on his work. The problem is that there is no analysis of Fuller's theory. He originally presented his ideas back in the 1970s, when the world population was about 4 billion. There is no sense of whether his ideas would still work 3.5 billion more people later.
Twist presents new ways of thinking about money, sufficiency, and having enough. I liked her ideas, although (other than books) I personally don't have a lot of stuff, so I was against waste and excess before I read her book. But I didn't think she fully developed her premise, leaving it in the realm of theory, with no real practical application. This book is not intended to be about financial planning, or how to know when you can retire, but nonetheless, more concrete examples that connect her ideas to real life would have been helpful.
I also thought she had a big miss: the biggest economic issue right now is the widening gap between the super rich and the rest of us. The book had one sentence addressing this issue; Twist is a fundraiser, so maybe she did not want to offend the billionaires that support her efforts. That brings me to my final complaint which is that Twist sounded pretty entitled, like a woman who has never actually faced an empty fridge and empty wallet. She is clearly pretty privileged in her personal life, and a lot of the book was about her jetting off to conferences around the world and meeting Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. To her credit, she did not admonish the rest of us to watch our carbon footprint, as so many of the global activists dare to do.
There has been a significant decrease in world hunger since the 1970s when Twist began her career. I am sure her efforts made a difference, although the biggest change came with the globalization of trade which benefited the economies of poorer countries. But I think that Twist is more of a 'doer' an active person, than a 'thinker', and consequently, her book did not live up to its promise.
Twist presents new ways of thinking about money, sufficiency, and having enough. I liked her ideas, although (other than books) I personally don't have a lot of stuff, so I was against waste and excess before I read her book. But I didn't think she fully developed her premise, leaving it in the realm of theory, with no real practical application. This book is not intended to be about financial planning, or how to know when you can retire, but nonetheless, more concrete examples that connect her ideas to real life would have been helpful.
I also thought she had a big miss: the biggest economic issue right now is the widening gap between the super rich and the rest of us. The book had one sentence addressing this issue; Twist is a fundraiser, so maybe she did not want to offend the billionaires that support her efforts. That brings me to my final complaint which is that Twist sounded pretty entitled, like a woman who has never actually faced an empty fridge and empty wallet. She is clearly pretty privileged in her personal life, and a lot of the book was about her jetting off to conferences around the world and meeting Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. To her credit, she did not admonish the rest of us to watch our carbon footprint, as so many of the global activists dare to do.
There has been a significant decrease in world hunger since the 1970s when Twist began her career. I am sure her efforts made a difference, although the biggest change came with the globalization of trade which benefited the economies of poorer countries. But I think that Twist is more of a 'doer' an active person, than a 'thinker', and consequently, her book did not live up to its promise.
March 6, 2015
Everything I'm about to say sounds a little hippy-dippy - I think that's because this book calls on readers to carefully examine beliefs and the power of conception, and to prioritize core values like equality and connection to others. It's not written to read like a call to kumbaya, and I think the ideas are actually important, actionable, and potentially transformative.
Twist makes its thesis - that an overwhelming share of decisions in every life are driven by the pursuit and protection of money, because we believe there isn't enough of it, more of it is better, and that's just the way it is - credible with a lot of examples, including her own. It ties nicely to a lot of other thinking about over-consumption and waste, the most productive ways to spend money charitably, even the potential inherent in a sharing economy where access-when-needed becomes more important than possession-as-status-symbol. And as I was reading, I saw ways that this core idea - that unhappiness comes from a focus on scarcity rather than sufficiency - really applicable in other arenas, like my relationship with time, and even my pursuit of others' approval (Do I dislike being compared to others because I'm afraid there isn't enough approval to go around? If I instead consider that my boss has room to celebrate more than one great employee, does that free me from anxiety?) I got the book from a friend and am excited to pass it on to another to grow the circle of people I can talk to about it - even if no personal change resulted, I would recommend it as a new lens on / new way to gain insight into motivations and choices.
Twist makes its thesis - that an overwhelming share of decisions in every life are driven by the pursuit and protection of money, because we believe there isn't enough of it, more of it is better, and that's just the way it is - credible with a lot of examples, including her own. It ties nicely to a lot of other thinking about over-consumption and waste, the most productive ways to spend money charitably, even the potential inherent in a sharing economy where access-when-needed becomes more important than possession-as-status-symbol. And as I was reading, I saw ways that this core idea - that unhappiness comes from a focus on scarcity rather than sufficiency - really applicable in other arenas, like my relationship with time, and even my pursuit of others' approval (Do I dislike being compared to others because I'm afraid there isn't enough approval to go around? If I instead consider that my boss has room to celebrate more than one great employee, does that free me from anxiety?) I got the book from a friend and am excited to pass it on to another to grow the circle of people I can talk to about it - even if no personal change resulted, I would recommend it as a new lens on / new way to gain insight into motivations and choices.
January 9, 2009
I will admit to some initial skepticism about this book; especially given the first few chapters, I expected it to be an offering of over-sentimentalized neo-liberal non-profit jargon. I'm glad to have been proven mostly wrong, and to see the critiques of American aid and charity that Twist offers up. I think she's right; we need solidarity, not charity.
Many of her ideas on sufficiency - that we will both experience fulfillment and bring about the change we need in the world when we think in a framework of sufficiency rather than in one of scarcity - seemed like a version of the ideas presented about 'abundance' in a book I read right after college: Following Jesus in the Real World: Discipleship for the Post-College Years, by Richard Lamb. Lamb argues that Christians, especially, should not understand their own financial resources through the lens of scarcity, since we know God to be a God of abundance. Hence, to hoard our resources rather than to share them openly with all people is an attack on God's character, and a theological mistake.
But Twist goes beyond this to examine more thoroughly the type of spiritual relationship we have with money especially and how to shape that relationship so it is reflective of one's highest values, rather than the widespread and unexamined ideas about money in American culture: "there's not enough," "more is better," and "that's just the way it is." Her main message, to some extent, is that there is enough, more is rarely better, and things certainly aren't "just the way they are."
Many of her ideas on sufficiency - that we will both experience fulfillment and bring about the change we need in the world when we think in a framework of sufficiency rather than in one of scarcity - seemed like a version of the ideas presented about 'abundance' in a book I read right after college: Following Jesus in the Real World: Discipleship for the Post-College Years, by Richard Lamb. Lamb argues that Christians, especially, should not understand their own financial resources through the lens of scarcity, since we know God to be a God of abundance. Hence, to hoard our resources rather than to share them openly with all people is an attack on God's character, and a theological mistake.
But Twist goes beyond this to examine more thoroughly the type of spiritual relationship we have with money especially and how to shape that relationship so it is reflective of one's highest values, rather than the widespread and unexamined ideas about money in American culture: "there's not enough," "more is better," and "that's just the way it is." Her main message, to some extent, is that there is enough, more is rarely better, and things certainly aren't "just the way they are."
November 5, 2009
i liked the book because it made me think more about money and my life. it's a little too "chicken soup for the soul" for me at some parts. i think it is a better read for someone who doesn't already think a lot about their relationship for money and i'm always doing that. here's an excerpt of the type of thinking the book opens up.
"The myths of scarcity that drive popular culture and popular wisdom promote owning, holding, collecting and accumulating. In the context of sufficiency, accumulation well beyond the point of enough stops the flow of resources from finding their way to their highest use. Ironically, the condition of scarcity breeds accumulation to excess, which only diminishes the value of what we have too much of. We become burdened by our excess; it clutters out thinking and our lives. We become attached to our possessions and, in a way, start to think that what we have is who we are, and it becomes harder and harder to share anything because as it diminishes in value from the flood of excess, we feel less valuable ourselves and must acquire more."
"The myths of scarcity that drive popular culture and popular wisdom promote owning, holding, collecting and accumulating. In the context of sufficiency, accumulation well beyond the point of enough stops the flow of resources from finding their way to their highest use. Ironically, the condition of scarcity breeds accumulation to excess, which only diminishes the value of what we have too much of. We become burdened by our excess; it clutters out thinking and our lives. We become attached to our possessions and, in a way, start to think that what we have is who we are, and it becomes harder and harder to share anything because as it diminishes in value from the flood of excess, we feel less valuable ourselves and must acquire more."
July 7, 2019
This book will hold a special place in my life forever; many lessons learned that I will want to keep coming back to!
There were definitely some more “meaty” parts that made me have to set the book down to really absorb the lessons so it took me a while to read.
But, overall, the lessons of how money is the reflection of what is in our heart, what our true values are, and that there is enough to go around in this world were very impactful on three main levels for me:
1) personal financial habits and values
2) understanding more and being able to teach my clients more about their attitudes and habits around money
3) fundraising and communicating a vision in the non-profit sector I find myself involved with
I will definitely revisit this book regularly.
There were definitely some more “meaty” parts that made me have to set the book down to really absorb the lessons so it took me a while to read.
But, overall, the lessons of how money is the reflection of what is in our heart, what our true values are, and that there is enough to go around in this world were very impactful on three main levels for me:
1) personal financial habits and values
2) understanding more and being able to teach my clients more about their attitudes and habits around money
3) fundraising and communicating a vision in the non-profit sector I find myself involved with
I will definitely revisit this book regularly.
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