Hello, beautiful creators.
Let’s pause for a moment and talk about something that sits quietly—sometimes awkwardly—at the crossroads of art, ambition, and authenticity: money.
In our culture, success is often measured in financial terms. “How much are you making?” “Did you monetize that?” “What’s your ROI?” These are the questions we’re taught to ask and answer. And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with money—it can be a helpful metric—it’s also a dangerously seductive one.
When we make money our ultimate goal, we can lose the thread of why we create in the first place.
So, today I invite you into a deeper conversation—one that can shift how you relate to your work, your goals, and your sense of fulfillment.
What’s your relationship with money and meaning? I’d love to hear your first reaction—share below.
Why Do You Really Create?
Take a breath. Think back to the moment you first felt called to create—whether to write, paint, perform, build, teach, or serve.
Was your first impulse to earn a paycheck? Or was it something else—something more luminous?
For many of us, our deepest creative urges are born not from scarcity or ambition, but from love. Love of expression. Love of beauty. Love of truth. Love of making meaning from the messiness of life.
But along the way, the world hands us its spreadsheet and says, Show me your value.
Here’s the thing: it’s not an either/or. It’s not “make money” or “follow your purpose.” It’s about which leads. Which drives the decisions? Which shapes your goals?
Let’s be clear—your art, your words, your work deserve compensation. But what if money were the byproduct, not the purpose?
Ray Dalio, one of the most successful investors of our time, didn’t begin his journey chasing wealth. He focused on meaningful work and meaningful relationships, and wealth followed. His compass was purpose, not profit.
Imagine what could open up in your life if you made a similar shift. What would you create from that place?
What’s your primary motivation right now—purpose or profit?
Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear what’s driving you these days.
Rethinking Money’s Role
Lynne Twist, in The Soul of Money, offers a profound shift in perspective. She challenges the myth of scarcity and invites us into a worldview of sufficiency—where money becomes a tool for expressing our values rather than a measure of our worth.
Stephen King once said he never wrote for the money. He wrote because he couldn’t not write. The money was a fortunate consequence.
And that’s the thread I invite you to pick up.
When we create from a place of joy and alignment—when we tune in to our Divinely Inspired Life Purpose—we become conduits for something bigger than commerce. And ironically, that's often when abundance begins to flow.
But even when it doesn't show up immediately in your bank account, you’ll notice it somewhere more important: in your soul’s fulfillment.
A Different Way to Measure Success
Let’s redefine success—not as a number, but as a resonance.
Brian Johnson, founder of Heroic, speaks to this beautifully. True happiness, he says, comes from meaningful work, authentic relationships, deep engagement, and a sense of purpose.
The Life On Purpose perspective aligns: money is a form of energy—but it must be in service to something greater. Otherwise, it becomes a substitute for what really matters.
Ask yourself:
“Is my relationship to money being shaped by love (abundance and alignment), or by fear (lack and survival)?”
This isn’t just an abstract question. It’s one that can change your life.
Because once you see how fear subtly dictates your goals, you can choose to pivot. To move from inherited patterns to intentional purpose. From striving to serving.
Where do you find yourself: shaped by fear, or shaped by love? Share where you’re noticing a pivot.
Practical Ways to Realign with Purpose
Let’s bring this down from the clouds and into your day-to-day. Here are a few soul-rooted practices to help you shift from money-first to purpose-forward:
Identify Your Why. What brings you alive when you create? What do you hope others feel or experience through your work?
Align Your Money With Meaning. How can your financial decisions reflect your deepest values? Make money your ally—not your aim.
Practice Deep Work. Carve out sacred time for focus. Eliminate distractions. Protect your creative space like the temple it is.
Redefine Your Goals. Make them soul-centered. Instead of “earn $X by Y,” try: “Create work that inspires connection, growth, and healing—and allow abundance to support it.”
Take Inspired Action. Don’t wait for perfect clarity. Move. Create. Experiment. Let insight and action dance.
I’d love to hear: What’s one insight you’ve had—and what action will you take this week to align your money goals with your purpose? Drop it in the comments.
A Coaching Nugget:
I + A = G&D
(Insight + Action = Growth & Development)
Insight is powerful.
Action is transformative.
But together—they’re alchemical.
So, what are you seeing now that you weren’t seeing before? And how will you respond?
Your Call to Action
This week, I invite you to release the pressure to monetize everything. Let your creative work breathe. Let your purpose lead.
Let your money goals be a reflection of your deepest values, not a replacement for them.
Let’s build a world where success is measured in meaning, joy, alignment, and contribution—and let financial prosperity follow that flow.
Ready to go deeper? Hit subscribe to get regular coaching reflections on purpose, creativity, and living the life you’re meant for.
Want to reflect out loud? Leave a comment or share this with someone who needs to hear it.
With purpose and love,
Brad, Your Write On Purpose Coach
P.S. Let’s talk about how you’re realigning in real time. Join the chat to brainstorm and connect.
