Steve Lear

What Our Survey Revealed

I recently posted the results of our survey, asking “What do you think are the top purposes of money? There were 45 responses, mostly from peers or people close to my own age of 68.

As I reported, the ranking order surprised me; “Helping Others” nearly tied with “Necessities” and “Security” for the top spot.

Since then, I’ve taken a deeper dive to interpret what the participants’ answers and comments might reveal about their relationship with money and its implications for the future. The following are a few of those insights:

The Survey’s Most Important Conclusion

The participants overwhelmingly see money as a tool, not as an end in itself. Respondents repeatedly framed money in the following ways:

• A means to freedom (time, choice, and independence)
• A medium for exchange (enables efficient trade)
• A resource for impact (building a business, supporting family, contributing to society)
• A mechanism for security and stability (rather than just status or accumulation)

This conclusion indicates that the respondents are self-actualized—they are living in alignment with their values, talents, and abilities, and working in service of what matters most to them.

Demographic Profile of Participants

This was an informal survey of peers, so the participants were college-educated (or higher), ages 30-60+, upper middle class, and above. This group is likely to:

• Be established in stable careers.
• Have survived calamity and experienced recovery.
• Understand that money does not always bring fulfillment.

Money Relationships: Do Survey Answers Point to Hope or Despair?

The overall conclusion I’m drawing is “cautious optimism.” These answers inspire hope because:

• Money is not idolized
• Participants recognize its limits
• There is a strong moral awareness that money should serve life
• Many recognized money’s potential to be misused, cause distortions, and create imbalances.

But this hope is cautious, as some answers hinted at:

• Tension between values and reality
• Systems that reward accumulation over contribution
• The risk that money becomes a substitute for purpose or identity

Summary

Our participants view money realistically, but not cynically. Their answers reflect a collective shift from “How do I accumulate more money?” to “How do I use money responsibly?”, indicating positive cultural and psychological progress.

Implications for the Future

Thinking about these answers sparked the following questions:

• How do we promote a money mindset that values helping others?
• How might our relationship with money change if America experiences a catastrophic event, such as a violent civil war?

I’m currently watching the series House of David, a historical drama based on the Book of Samuel in the Bible. It depicts what happened to the Jewish nation during this period. So many died, yet powerful leaders emerged from those violent and corrupt times.
While these events happened 3,000 years ago, they still offer powerful lessons for modern times.

Since we can’t know the future, our leaders must be prepared to pivot to respond to rapid changes. It’s increasingly important to set the right tone.

At SteveLear.org, we promote living in the Gain rather than the Gap –judging progress not by how much farther we must go, but by how far we have come from the starting point.

Our participants’ answers indicate a maturing attitude toward money and a desire for a healthier, more intentional relationship with it. If accumulating money is not the end goal, but the means to live a stable life and to help others do the same, I’m encouraged that we’re headed in the right direction.