My approach to money has changed as I've come to better understand its purpose - the storage of a future promise to give me something I value. This leads me to

My approach to money has changed as I've come to better understand its purpose - the storage of a future promise to give me something I value. This leads me to ask, "What do I value?" I value my free time, being able to eat breakfast and coffee out on a daily basis, and simple things in life like just having a comfortable home, debts paid, bills paid, and a happy wife. My approach to money has, therefore, become one of finding the maximum amount I need for the short term (six months), immediate term (two years), and extreme future (retirement; probably 60-ish), in order to meet those value driven targets. Once the balance has been found between selling my time and labour for money, I don't exceed it, because I've attained my goals. I go from, "I could be earning $X in this moment if I worked on my book" to, "I should go for a walk and then come home and play a game."