Music touches the deepest recesses of our emotional being.  As silly as it may sound, for all of the great music I have heard in my life, one piece of music that always brings to me a feeling of contentment and joy is a song by Simon and Garfunkel called “59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy).” For any Baby Boomers reading this there is no need for explanation.  The lyrics (“slow down you’re movin’ too fast, you got to make the moment last”) and the signature hook (“lookin for fun and feelin groovy”) are indelible imprints on our collective teenage consciousness; one minute and fifty-six seconds of pure adolescent emotion.

Even today, rooted in solid middle age, when I listen to the early songs of Paul Simon with his alienated defiance and celebratory enthusiasm supported by the angelic voice of Art Garfunkel, I am transported across time and experience to an inner space that is timeless and very much a part of what I am and always will be.  I am sure there are songs you can remember that bring the same feeling. Isn’t that amazing?  From a collective social conscious perspective there are songs that define a whole generation: “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel and “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan come to mind for my generation. The Greatest Generation and Generation X and Y will have their own songs.

Are you feeling nice and emotional?  Good, because when we talk about money and emotion you can leave all your fancy thoughts and theories behind because we are entering the realm of pure feeling and imagination. When we think of the times in our lives that have given us our deepest meaning and purpose it is likely that we will recall a deep emotional experience rather than some philosophical thought or mental realization.
In our relationship with money, it is our emotions, our deepest feelings that define both our behavior and our experience.

Economists are recognizing that economic models based upon physical laws and mathematical models are poor predictors of economic development.  Social capital, including behavior, cultural beliefs and moral values, plays an elemental part in how money works in an economic system.

Money is not really a physical phenomenon.  Other than the currency used for small purchases, we never see money.  It is a concept founded upon trust and the common belief that there is value in the monetary unit.  As we have seen recently with the subprime crisis when trust is lost value plummets.  We recognize physical assets but money is less a physical reality than it s a shared system of feelings and beliefs.

That is why it is important to recognize the role that our thoughts and emotions play.  These are the portals through which we can come to a deeper understanding of both money and ourselves.  A healthy organism is one in which all integral parts are operating in a balanced manner.  Understanding the importance of balancing the different aspects of money is a good start towards building a sound foundation for achieving, not only financial goals, but also personal meaning and fulfillment.

The Beatles, an important early influence for many Baby Boomers, sang about the need for balance when it comes to money and they will have the last word.

“You know the best things in life are free, but you can keep then for the birds and bees.  Give me money…that’s what I want.”

“I don’t care too much for money.  Money can’t buy me love”

Mike Ryan CFP®

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 9:16 pm and is filed under Mike Ryan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.