When working on and researching for Monkey Money Mind, a Forbes book I co-authored with Chris Zadeh, both of us were struck time and again by the human capacity for fooling ourselves. We think we are rational when it comes to spending, when in reality, most of our financial decisions are made based on our emotions. Our subconscious tricks us into buying stuff we don’t need and can’t afford because we think it will make us look or feel good; we ruin our credit scores, we don’t save for pensions, we max out our credit cards…and, when we are finally able to set aside some money, we already owe it on interests.
We constantly overestimate our future earnings and underestimate the likelihood of bad luck. In the end, when we have painted ourselves in a corner, financially, some of us are left with no options other than face years of debt repayment or live in constant fear that something large, our car, the washing machine, could break down and we can’t afford the repairs.
We stop thinking when we start spending
In short: we tend to stop thinking when we start spending and overlook that in the end, not being able to handle money is expensive. Washing at a laundromat is more expensive than having a washing machine at home, not having money to repair the roof, will ruin your entire house, not being able to afford car maintenance, in the end will leave you without the ability to commute and work.
Our Monkey Mind is all about instant gratification and doesn’t care about long-term and sustainable planning. Not only financially but in many other aspects. This struck a chord with me even more during a chat with Dr Ian Redmond, who contributed to the book. Among other things, Dr Redmond is the founder/chairman of The Gorilla Organization and Ape Alliance; he was also a consultant to the movie ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ featuring Sigourney Weaver, the amazing movie about Dian Fossey’s life.
“We are exceeding the limits of our sustainability. We now utilize more of the Earth’s resources in the first six months of the year than the earth can make in the whole year.” Ian told us. “Nature is, by all accounts, the economy of the world and it’s our duty and right to protect it.” I got goose bumps when he said this.
Chris and I both share a passion for nature and travel and by the time we interviewed Dr Redmond, we had already decided that we wanted to donate the proceeds of the book towards a charity that protected Silverback gorillas. What struck me most by his words is that it’s true. We don’t plan for the future, and in not planning we are greatly damaging not only our finances, but our environment as well. Short-termism is killing us financially and it will kill the planet.
The reason for choosing to donate all proceeds of the book to gorillas? That was simple. Not only is it mildly linked to the book title, but many people don’t know that we share 98% of our DNA with gorillas, the ability to walk upright, the capacity to use tools. Gorillas are among our closest living relatives…and they are greatly endangered, by us, out of greed and carelessness we destroy their habitats and the communities that surround them. By now, there are little over 1200 mountain gorillas left in the the wild in the world.
Fighting short-termism
The Gorilla Organization takes a new approach to the conservation of gorillas and silverbacks. It protects the gorillas by empowering the local communities around the gorilla’s habitat. They address the issue of short-termism. The Gorilla Organization helps local communities by teaching them sustainable agriculture so that they don’t have to rely on the natural resources that gorillas rely on, they plant trees, they support the brave rain-forest rangers who risk their own lives to combat poaching and do much, much more.
If anything, Monkey Money Mind teaches us is that if you want to have a better future, you must plan for it. That should not be solely limited to increasing your bank account, but also investing in taking care of our environment and what will be left for our future generations.
Would you also like to help create a better future for gorillas? You can buy the book on Amazon or Bol.com or donate to The Gorilla Organization directly.
