What are you doing with your MONEY?

Mid career.  I was in the office of my boss.  The company was doing well, finally.  Quite well, in fact.  He was giving me a bonus check and in that moment he looked at me and asked, "What are you doing with your money?".

It wasn't at all an unusual question.  You see, I was the key creative executive in the company.  By key creative I mean to paint a picture of up-all-night, meeting-packed days, travel itinerary from hell, no personal life and a head filled with promo graphics and overnight ratings.  He could probably conjure up a coffee table in my home filled with unopened checks that should have been channeled through a direct deposit set up, had I not neglected to fill out necessary paperwork.

Yes, I was neglectful and running contrary to a key reason for work in the first place...money!  But still, my mind was elsewhere.  I loathed the business of life... of bills and of money. I was angry about details that were not about content creation and engagement and design.  I wanted to be in the company of producers and creators and artists and craft people.  I happily ignored all talk of commerce and numbers except when it involved the performance of the shows.  I was a shapes and colors girl, avoiding columns and lines at every turn.

So I told my boss that I wasn't doing much with my money.  He took back the bonus until I promised to take some simple advice.  He offered it up.  I followed it and now I think back on that generous conversation as a HUGE turning point in my life. It was the day I grew up, financially.

What are you doing with your money?

I'm going to blog about it in the next couple of days.  Why, because I've recently been asked by quite a few people who are, as I was, mid career.  I'll tell my story.  It is simple and, though it takes a little reading, I have always managed my own money and investments (with great advice and counsel along the way).  If you know me, that is really surprising but it's worked, so I'll share.