Find image, related quotes, author, meaning, usage of the quote – Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the ‘gotta have it’ scale.
The quote carries a steady wisdom. It does not glorify money or dismiss it. It simply places it where reality does. This isn’t about happiness, it’s about survival, and that shift reframes everything.
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Meaning
Money is not the purpose of living; it is the enabler of living well. Its real value lies in providing stability, dignity, and the freedom to make choices aligned with our values, rather than becoming the ultimate goal we chase.
Explanation
A deeper look shows that our relationship with money is rarely neutral; instead, we tend to project our fears, desires, and insecurities onto it, oscillating between rejection and obsession, and losing sight of its proper role along the way.
Money isn’t the source of happiness, purpose, or love, but it is the foundation of stability. It’s what removes the constant background anxiety about survival. When your essentials are taken care of, your nervous system relaxes. Your thoughts become clearer, your choices more intentional, and your energy shifts from worrying about tomorrow to building it wisely. You have space to care about purpose and people. Without that foundation, even noble goals feel heavy and unreachable.
Summary
| Category | Wealth (72) |
|---|---|
| Topics | balance (14), money (14) |
| Style | witty (7) |
| Mood | humorous (6), realistic (37) |
Origin & Factcheck
This gem comes straight from Zig Ziglar’s 1975 classic, See You at the Top, which was published right here in the US. It’s pure, uncut Ziglar. You sometimes see this sentiment floating around unattributed, but the specific “close to oxygen” phrasing is his alone.
Quotation Source:
| Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the 'gotta have it' scale |
| Publication Year/Date: 1975; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 978-0-88207-957-2; Last edition: Revised & Updated, Pelican Publishing 2010; Number of pages: 416 |
| Chapter 37: Money and Meaning, Approximate page 670 from 2010 edition |
Context
This insight comes from Ziglar’s work on balanced success. He was not teaching wealth for its own sake. He was reminding people that financial stability creates the space to live well and serve others without constant anxiety.
Usage Examples
I use this all the time. Seriously.
- With a young graduate wanting a solid income isn’t shallow, it’s responsible. Money isn’t the purpose of life, but it’s the infrastructure of it. Just like oxygen, you don’t celebrate it when it’s there, but everything falls apart when it’s missing. Secure your basics first, and then you’re free to think bigger than survival.
- In a team meeting discussing budgets: Think of profit as oxygen, not the destination. We don’t chase it for its own sake, but without it, none of the work we’re passionate about can survive.
- For anyone feeling guilty about pursuing financial goals: You’re not being materialistic for planning your finances, you’re being realistic. Just like securing your oxygen mask first, financial stability ensures you don’t collapse while trying to help everyone else.
To whom it appeals?
| Audience | employees (10), entrepreneurs (147), students (331) |
|---|---|
This quote can be used in following contexts: career counseling,motivational talks,business seminars,financial workshops,humor-based speeches
FAQ
Question: Is this quote saying money is everything?
Answer: No. It explains that lacking money can dominate your attention even when your values are strong.
Question: Doesn’t this mindset lead to greed?
Answer: While a few find their “oxygen” in community, faith, a simple life, the reality is that in today’s world, money is the main system that sustains safety and stability for most people.
Question: What if someone truly has very little money but is happy?
Answer: That’s a beautiful thing, and it proves Ziglar’s point. Those people have found their “oxygen” in non-monetary forms—a strong community, deep faith, simple needs. But for the vast majority of us in the modern world, money is the primary mechanism that provides that basic security. It’s the metaphor that resonates.