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‍Would you trade memories for money?

If I paid you enough, would you trade your memories for money?

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I recently had a conversation with someone about the cost of a family vacation to another country. We talked about stress, and the weight that spending that kind of money puts on your finances. We talked about how many amazing memories would be made, as they were going to be visiting family they only see a couple of times a year. Grandparents, siblings, uncles, etc. As we talked, I had this very loud thought come into my head –

Try flipping it.

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It's not: “Am I willing to spend $10K to take my family on this trip?”
Instead, ask: “How much would someone have to pay me to skip it?”

Is $10K enough to miss those hugs? $15K worth it to skip those moments?

 Of course we’d never say that. But execution tells the truth. Intention talks about it.    

Hard questions help you think about the reality of this. Questions like:

- What would you take to miss your kids soccer games this year?

 - What’s the price tag to say no to date nights for the next six months?

- Would you trade your health for a title?

- Your dinner table for a trophy?

What's you number?

$100K a year?

$500k?

$1M?

$100M?

Would you give up the time with the people you love for the next 5 years for a million subscribers on YouTube?

If we look at how we spend our time – it’s a really hard thing to admit. We are doing it every day. We are choosing to give things up in exchange for money, status, security, or some promise we think is in the future. The truth is, we only have today. Our lives aren’t made up of big movie scene moments. They are made up of 1,000 small moments every day we have the gift of living.

I’m not anti-ambition. I’m not saying ditch your goals. And I’m not pretending every sacrifice is avoidable.

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I’m saying look at it backwards.

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Look at what you’re giving up—not just what you’re gaining. Make sure the exchange is one your soul can afford.

You can earn more money. You can chase more growth. But you can’t rewind a season.

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So take inventory. Not just of your calendar or your bank account—but of your moments.

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Look your people in the eyes. Go on the date. Book the trip. Eat dinner at the table tonight. Be there—on purpose. Let your legacy be measured in presence, not just performance. Because the best parts of life don’t cost money—but they’re always paid for with time. And you have today. Spend it well. Because where your treasure is, your heart already is too.