I recently embarked on a peculiar experiment to confront my anxieties surrounding money, a concept I’ve come to call the “Money Prop Money” approach. Feeling a persistent unease around finances, I decided to take a somewhat unconventional step: I purchased $50,000 worth of realistic-looking prop money and placed it conspicuously on my desk. My rationale was simple, almost childlike: perhaps simply being in close proximity to a substantial sum of money, even if fake, could somehow alleviate my discomfort.
Alt text: A stack of fifty thousand dollar prop money sits on a wooden desk, illustrating the money prop money experiment.
Immediately, a wave of anxieties surfaced. Irrational fears crept in: Would someone attempt to steal it? What judgments would people pass if they saw such a large amount of cash displayed so openly? Was this whole endeavor simply absurd? Then, reality checked in – this was, after all, just prop money. If it were stolen, it could easily be replaced. If questioned, I could simply explain it was for an experiment in understanding my relationship with money prop money.
Engaging with the Prop Money
To further immerse myself in this “money prop money” experience, I started interacting with the fake cash. I fashioned a thick roll of bills, mimicking the stereotypical image of wealth, and carried it in my pocket. The act, surprisingly, evoked a feeling of empowerment, a sense of being in control – a peculiar “boss-like” sensation.
During lengthy phone calls, I found myself unconsciously playing with the prop money. I would stack it neatly, organize the denominations, even crumple the bills slightly to give them a more ‘used’ appearance. Slowly but surely, my initial hyper-awareness of the money began to fade. Initially, my eyes would automatically dart towards the stack of prop money every time I entered my office. However, as days turned into weeks, it gradually became just another object in the room, hardly registering in my conscious awareness.
The Illusion of Money: A “Money Prop Money” Revelation
Living alongside this “money prop money” exposed a fundamental truth: the very nature of money is, in a sense, an illusion. Currency, whether paper or metal, is intrinsically valueless. Its perceived worth is entirely derived from a collective agreement, a shared belief system. We can purchase goods and services with money because we trust that others will, in turn, accept it as payment. This chain of trust, this shared delusion, is what underpins the entire monetary system.
This realization led to a deeper insight: if money’s value is contingent on our collective belief, then its purpose is also something we must define. “Money prop money” sitting idly on my desk served no function. It was inert, unproductive. Money, real or prop, requires direction, intention, a purpose assigned by us. Whether allocating funds to nourish my family, finance essential home repairs, or invest in a family vacation, it is in these applications that money acquires meaning and fulfills its purpose.
“As long as you see money as a scarce resource, you will continually inconvenience yourself to get it. As soon as you have made yourself the scarce resource, money will inconvenience itself to get you.”
Michael Neill
The “money prop money” experiment fostered a subtle yet profound shift in my mindset. Money began to feel less like a scarce commodity and more like a tool, a resource to be utilized. Paradoxically, this altered perception made me less hesitant to spend money when necessary. The anxiety associated with investing in experiences, such as a family vacation, or addressing essential needs, like new car tires or a furnace repair, diminished significantly.
The most unexpected outcome of this “money prop money” experiment was that this newfound ease in spending didn’t translate into a depletion of my actual bank balance. In fact, it highlighted the psychological barriers we often erect around money, barriers that can be dismantled by simply re-evaluating our fundamental beliefs about its nature and purpose.
What are your ingrained beliefs about money? Are these beliefs empowering you, or are they inadvertently holding you back? Reflecting on these questions can be the first step towards a healthier and more productive relationship with your finances.
Alt text: A leader in a business meeting confidently discusses financial strategy, prompting reflection on personal money beliefs.
