Why do 7 out of 10 Americans dislike or hate their jobs? In a country as free as ours, and with technology that allows for infinite possibilities, it’s hard to believe this is where we are. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why he thinks the seeds of workplace discontent are planted when we are children. Then, every step of our journey is curated to show us that work is supposed to suck. A better way exists, and it begins with how we talk to our children.  If you have...

One common narrative around the topic of investing is the idea we shouldn’t buy when the market is at or near an all-time high. Instead, we should be patient and wait for the market to crash…..you know, “buy low, sell high.” In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why this is a short-sighted and costly mistake for most people. You might be shocked by just how often the stock market hits new all-time highs. We think this episode may change your entire perspective on timing (or not)...

We talk a lot about the idea of sinking funds, or as we like to call it, smoothing out the lumpy stuff. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton walks through the steps for a simple and effective execution. Enjoy! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us:  Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/meaning_over_money⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meaning_over_money Daily...

It’s quite common for us to think about the risk of making this decision or that decision. We (hopefully) objectively look at the choices before us, and assess the risk and rewards of each. However, we don’t often think about the risk of NOT doing something. Let's call it the risk of not taking risk. In many situations, we would argue, the risk of not taking risk is far greater than the risk we’d be taking. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton dives into the risk of complacency and how not...

Warning: This episode may offend personal finance traditionalists. There’s a shadow side to being completely locked in and focused on our goals. Sure, that focus allows us to crush our goals and make ridiculous progress. That’s amazing! However, it can also lead to burnout if we’re not careful. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses a weird and counter-cultural challenge he issued to one of his clients who was on the brink of burnout. For one month, they weren’t allowed to do...

Have you ever noticed that sports coaches never talk about their desire to quit working? They don’t say things like, “Only 5 more years until I can retire,” or “I can’t wait to finally hang it up.” Instead, they talk about their desire to coach as long as they are able. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this unique dynamic, and why we all could learn a thing or two from the coaches in our life. This episode was inspired by the Long Beach State men’s basketball team, their...

When the idea of pursuing meaning over money is discussed, many people equate meaning to lack of money. We treat the decision as if we’re pursuing meaning OR money. However, that’s not how it works. Pursuing meaning is just that, pursuing meaning….and where that leads is a mystery to be unearthed. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how the road to meaning is typically far better than we can ever imagine. It also gives Travis an excuse to talk about Cole behind his back. Trust...

Have you ever tried to help a loved one by telling them about a better way? Yeah, it doesn’t work very well, does it? In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why our words often don’t make the impact we desire…..and in many cases, can have a negative effect. Instead of telling people what to do, we should simply show them through our own actions. When we live these meaning over money principles, other people can’t help but notice. Our lived example is more powerful than any words...

What’s fascinating about human behavior is that our bar and definition of “boujee” varies wildly. What one person might consider boujee, another considers a “need.” Is one right? Is one wrong? The answer to that question doesn’t really matter. What matters is how these vastly differing opinions are twisting people up and causing them to make decisions that don’t align with their interests and values. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses this concept through a personal story If...

Can we be honest? Delayed gratification sucks! When we want something, we want it NOW! We also live in a culture (with easy debt at our fingertips) that encourages us to just do it. It’s easy! It’s simple. It will make us “happy.” However, that doesn’t make it wise (or healthy). In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the beauty of delayed gratification through the lens of his dream car (it’s a fun story!).  If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the...

When we’re young, most of our financial fate rests in the hands of our future selves. We must invest, make good decisions, and invest some more. Then, one day in the very distant future, we’ll be in a solid financial position. As we age, however, future us has less time to make things happen. For this reason, it’s critically important that current us makes wise and proactive choices. When we do, we’ll eventually reach a point where we’re relying on our past selves far more than our future...

Today’s episode is a cautionary tale about the American Dream—the nice house, the new cars, the stylish wardrobes, the exotic trips, and all the other trappings that accompany it. Having nice things is extremely cool…..and so much fun! However, for many Americans, the pursuit of this materialistic lifestyle is literally robbing them of their best life. Yeah, the stuff is enjoyable, but at what cost? The cost to many is a meaningful and fulfilling life that could have been. In today’s episode,...

Have you ever been made to feel guilty for spending money on something you don’t “need.” Oh good, glad we aren’t alone. There seems to be a toxic undercurrent in our money culture that says we should only buy things we need. This leads to guilt, regret, and hoarding tendencies. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses how destructive and counter-productive these mindsets are, and why it’s important to spend money on fun things that add value to your life. It’s ok to buy things you...

There's no harder stage in life than being a young adult. You're still trying to figure out who and what you are, where you want to be, what you want to do, and likely have limited resources to get it all started. Further, no other stage of life brings so many significant life changes (marriage, kids, careers, houses, etc.). In today's episode, host Travis Shelton shares the six steps he advises young adults to take in order to set the foundation for an uncertain but awesome future. If...

Nobody wants to think about their own mortality. It’s an awkward subject that can bring up a lot of emotions. This is one of the main reasons why most Americans die without a will. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains why it’s so important for each of us to have a will in place. Further, he lays out the key decisions we each must make when creating our wills. This is a can’t miss topic, and we hope you engage in these ideas with the significance it should carry.  If you have...

Whenever someone passes away too soon, we tend to look at their situation as proof that we need to hurry up and get to retirement so we can “actually enjoy life” for as long as possible. We couldn’t disagree more with this sentiment. We, too, are impacted by these tragic situations. However, it’s quite the opposite for us. Instead, we believe these stories are proof that we need to find meaning in our lives today. Life shouldn’t be lived as a race where meaning and enjoyment happen on the...

All work matters, but not all work matters to you. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the importance of defining what gives our work meaning (regardless of what others think), then aggressively pursuing it. The episode is framed through the lens of a recent conversation with a friend, in which Travis was accused of being a hypocrite for some of his work. This is an important topic to attack head-on, and that's what we plan on doing today.  If you have questions or would...

In episode 305 (linked below), we talked about how car debt is some of the most crippling debt to be in, but also some of the easiest to get out of. However, we noted that it’s emotionally difficult for people to unwind their car debt for one big reason: it’s a public decision. The act of selling a vehicle and downgrading is visible to everyone around us, which is tough. In today’s episode, we dive deeper into a reality we must all face. When we choose to make (or not make) financial...

Since aggressively launching into the topic of investing, listeners have been coming out of the woodwork with their own stories. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton shares examples from two of his friends who recently realized they were sold a terrible bill of goods. They trusted their investment professionals, only to be overcharged and underdelivered. However, there’s a silver lining. When we take a look in the mirror and face the issue head-on, it’s the beginning of a much brighter...

We live in a culture that glorifies retirement. So much so that it causes us to tolerate crappy (but good paying) work, hoard as much money as possible, and race to an earlier-the-better finish line we like to call retirement. That’s a lot of pressure! Oh yeah, and it can also be void of meaning and fulfillment along the way. Instead of living a life where we grind, grind, and grind so that one day we can “enjoy life,” we think you deserve better. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton...

We've been talking a lot about taxable investing lately. The importance of it. The simplicity of it. The effectiveness of it. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton walks you through the very simple process of setting up and funding your taxable investment account. Have fun with it! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us:  Daily...

We have a car crisis in America. Well, it's actually a much wider crisis, due in part to our crazy car-related decisions. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton discusses the most recent car loan data and explains why it's critical that we make different choices in this area of our financial lives. There's a better way, guys! If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us:  Daily...

We often reference the idea of taxable investing. In our opinion, it's one of the most overlooked and misunderstood topics in the investing arena. In today's episode, host Travis Shelton explains what it is (and what it's not), why it matters, how simple/powerful it can be, and what it can do for your financial journey. If you have questions or would like to connect with us outside of the podcast, here's where you can find us:  Daily...

Have you made any mistakes or poor financial decisions in the past? Whew, glad we aren’t the only ones! We all have junk our our past: regret, frustrations, and lingering consequences. In today’s episode, host Travis Shelton explains how we only have two options on how to approach it. We can either dwell on the past and sit in our regret, or we can put 100% of our energies and focus on the present and future. Since we can’t go back, our encouragement is to let the past live in the rear-view...