THE END OF A THING IS BETTER THAN IT'S BEGINNING

The book opened with the story of a tech executive who made a lot of money and lived a lavish lifestyle. At a hotel, he accidentally broke a lamp. When told to pay $500, he felt insulted and paid $5,000 instead, declaring boldly that he wasn’t poor.

But how long do you think that lifestyle lasted?

Still in the introduction of The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel tells the story of Ronald James Read, a man who fixed cars for 38 years and swept floors for 17. When he died, he left:

$8 million to his stepchildren
$6 million to his local hospital and library

No lottery. No inheritance. Just quiet, deliberate saving and investing, one small decision at a time.

That story changed me.

The main lesson that struck my heart is this: “The end of a thing is better than its beginning.” It doesn’t matter how you start. What matters is how you finish.

One of my biggest goals in life is to leave an inheritance for my children’s children, not one built on stolen wealth or envy, but on truth, discipline, and timeless principles anyone can follow.

Morgan says it so well:

“Doing well with money has little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave. And behaviour is hard to teach, even to smart people.”

That line humbled me. I’m smart. But I realised I still needed to relearn my behaviour around money. This book was my starting point.

Now, despite the temptation of fine wine, shiny clothes, and flashy outings, I’m learning to save, one naira at a time.

God willing, I want to die debt-free, and leave behind not just money, but a roadmap for the next generation.

**Terrible with money? Please read The Psychology of Money.**

I haven’t found a better book that simplifies how to think, and behave, with money.

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Shalom.

Comments

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