Two words that on their own are classic “power words”, but put them together and you have one huge bill to fill. As we explore this subject, we are going to find that as with any subject of value, there are many levels that it applies to. For example, we will see that financial integrity is not only about honesty in our financial dealings, but also about honesty with ourselves about how we view of money. We will see that it not only refers to living within our means, but to adapting our lifestyle to live our dreams – today – not “when I retire”. It’s about a healthy view of money and the important role it plays in our life, but it’s also about understanding the spiritual dangers it poses. Financial Integrity is about how the financial aspect of our life affects the whole of the rest of it. It’s about finding a healthy understanding of money and how to enjoy it without letting it rule you.
Our society has engrained in us the belief that possessions, money, and nice things bring value to the individual as well as status. While this may be true, status based on what you have rather than who you are is pretty shallow and devoid of integrity. Many of us have some deeply seated issues with money that vary from a belief that we are not worthy or don’t deserve wealth, to a frustrated, entitlement-based delusion that somehow we deserve to be wealthy and it is “owed” to us, to anything in-between. So we go about our lives focused on finances and the accumulation of money at the expense of financial integrity and with little success – either we acquire and amass wealth at the expense of other more important things, or we become angry, frustrated or envious as we see others that have more than we do.
In a conversation I had, I was explaining the basic principles of Barbequia regarding the concept of financial integrity and freedom, and the person I was speaking with let me know that his perception was: “Your philosophy is one of complacency, irresponsibility, settling for whatever life happens to throw at you, and a hippie escapist cop-out to justify your lack of success.” An uncomfortable silence followed as I looked for my jaw on the floor and mentally reviewed the conversation to see where I had failed to properly convey what I meant. Then it hit me… He was right!! From his perspective and based on his belief system, with the limited information I had shared with him, my philosophy was exactly what he stated and I wasn’t going to change that by preaching to him. I also realized that the concept of Barbequia is not one that can be shared and understood in a casual conversation and even once the principle is clearly understood, it isn’t necessarily going to be eagerly adopted by everyone – and that’s okay.